That’s the claim being made by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, which is warning a post-Brexit cap on inward migration could be an obstacle to growth. Tony McDonough reports

Ending free movement of skilled workers from the EU to the UK could have a “chilling” effect on North West manufacturers.

That’s the claim being made by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, which is warning a post-Brexit cap on inward migration could be an obstacle to growth.

New report

It is calling on the Government to move swiftly to give companies early certainty that they will continue to be able to recruit low-skilled EU nationals until the UK labour market is able to support businesses’ demand with home-grown workers.

EEF’s report, ‘Making migration work for manufacturers: Accessing skills in a post-Brexit world’ reveals that three quarters of manufacturers have struggled to fill engineering roles.

This figure is set to rise, it claims, if we see post-Brexit restrictions to migration which apply a cap for companies employing EU staff, along the lines of the current rules currently in force for non-EU employees working in the UK.

Manufacturers interviewed as part of the report said they need unfettered access to “appropriate workers” with the skills industry needs, adding that European employees should be able to come to the UK to work for up to five years.

The ability to apply for permanent residence should follow on after that time has elapsed, they add.

Skills gap

Around 64% of manufacturers said an insufficient number of UK nationals applying for jobs within the sector was their main reason for recruiting from across Europe.

Others felt that the skills needed for their businesses to thrive are not found from within the British labour market.

EEF interim region director for the North West Richard Halstead, said: “Preventing industry from being able to recruit the best skilled workers from the EU could stifle growth and damage British industry and the UK economy as a whole.

“Skills shortages are endemic in manufacturing and engineering, and any points based-type system would choke off the skills needed by this sector.

“A highly-skilled STEM route should be introduced to enable non-EU STEM professionals to seek work in the UK without a job offer within a reasonable timeframe.”