A 鈥榥o deal鈥� Brexit would cause huge uncertainty for EU workforce, says Construction Leadership Council

The Construction Leadership Council has called on the government to review its proposed migration system in the event the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal, including 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� reducing the current 拢30,000 annual salary threshold.

In a new report on a range of likely skills and labour issues in a 鈥榥o deal鈥� scenario the CLC said the prospect of leaving the European Union without a deal would generate uncertainty among the more than 165,000 EU citizens currently employed by the UK construction industry, which would be 鈥渆specially damaging鈥� for those individuals. 

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The CLC said the government must review its proposed future migration system 鈥渢o ensure it is fit for purpose for construction and to avoid dramatic labour shortage in the sector鈥�.

It called on ministers to set the salary threshold for a skilled worker at the median level, 鈥渨hich is significantly below the 拢30,000 currently proposed鈥� and lower the required qualification level for a skilled worker to NVQ Level 2 鈥渢o reflect the industry skilled status鈥�.

It also wanted to see short-term worker visas extended from 12 to 24 months 鈥渢o allow the industry to meet its short-term workforce requirements鈥� and in the event of a 鈥榥o deal鈥� Brexit the mutual recognition of qualifications across the EU and UK had to be prioritised.

The CLC also called for the construction industry to 鈥減roactively provide information to its EU employees about how to secure 鈥榮ettled鈥� or 鈥榩re-settled status鈥� in the UK, as well as helping to provide any additional evidence that may be requested by the Home Office for the application鈥�.

Mark Reynolds, Mace鈥檚 chief executive and CLC skills workstream lead, said the industry needed to collaborate to ensure that its EU employees were supported in securing their right to work in the UK after Brexit.

鈥淲e are calling on Home Office ministers to meet with us to discuss our report and the changes that our sector needs to avoid significant disruption,鈥� he added.

The CLC said its recommendations had the backing of more than 100 industry leaders.

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