Growing demand for migrant workers

News Article - 02 March 2011
Category: Business

More than a fifth of employers are planning to recruit migrant workers in the first quarter of 2011.

There is a growing demand for migrant workers, attributed to the rising levels of unemployment. The latest CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook report revealed one in six UK employers had been denied the chance to recruit non-EU migrant workers due to a temporary cap.

Employers in the UK are attracted to non-EU migrant workers by their increased productivity, with as many as two-thirds of UK employers revealing their non-EU employees had improved the efficiency and output of their organisation.

CIPD public policy adviser and author of the report, Gerwyn Davies, said: "We should not forget that the number of non-EU workers amounts to the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands.

"Keeping out skilled non-EU workers won't help unemployed people in the UK in the near term, but could have real and negative consequences for business and the public sector."

There is also growing offshore activity from UK businesses with private sector companies planning to offshore job positions this year to India, Europe and China.

Managing talent is at the top of CEO agendas according to a recent global survey. Competition for talent is intensifying as many sectors are now recruiting again for vacant positions. Recruiting staff with the right skills is likely to prove difficult hence the attraction of hiring migrant workers with the necessary skills to complete tasks and maintain and improve productivity.

CEOs are aiming to plug the skills gaps by recruiting and integrating younger employees into the workplace. By attracting younger workers who have grown up with technology as a focal point of their lifestyle, it is hoped businesses will be able to bridge the skills gap and create jobs for students in the process.

This latest news will no doubt add further administrative burden to HR departments who are already struggling with the sheer volume of job applications per role.

Businesses now have the option to simplify HR processes with HR software that enables the planning, managing and execution of tailored recruitment campaigns. As application numbers continue to grow, businesses will no doubt benefit from an integrated recruitment process that maximises efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

For more information, please call Access on 0845 345 3300

Article keywords: recruitment, migrant workers, CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook report, Gerwyn Davies, UK businesses, private sector, staff recruitment, skills gap, HR department, HR software

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