The UK Home Secretary has said he will “re-think” the proposed minimum salary threshold for migrant workers post-Brexit.
Sajid Javid in 2018 proposed that migrant workers, including those from EU nations, would need to earn at least £30,000 annually in order to stay in the UK.
The business events and hospitality sector would be hit hardest by this threshold as a large number of workers fall below this figure.
Juliet Price, consultant executive director of the Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) has welcomed the news on the review, saying it has been applauded by the hospitality and events sector.
She said: “Many thousands of highly trained and skilled workers would no longer be able to continue to work here as they would not qualify.
“It is a widespread and rapidly growing issue. In the recent third annual HBAA Brexit survey, 18.7% of our members now report that Brexit has had a major impact on their ability to recruit staff whereas 12 months ago that figure was just 9.6% and in 2017, only 2.3% of respondents held that view.
“The industry is striving to recruit young people to build careers in this engaging industry but in the near future we shall not be able to replace all the migrant workers. Unless this minimum salary barrier for work permits is removed, the UK hospitality and events industry faces great challenges in maintaining its high service levels.”
