Relaxation of immigration rules for bricklayers and carpenters welcomed
Design and construction specialist Dan Grimshaw from Hinton Charterhouse, near Bath, has welcomed the news that bricklayers and carpenters are to be added to the list of trades with shortages and that rules governing migrant workers are to be loosened.
“I’ve never agreed that some trades have more 'value' than others,” said Dan who has been working on premium residential projects for more than 15 years. “It’s ridiculous that lower skilled workers shouldn’t be allowed to come to the UK when more skilled workers can.
“The shortage occupation list at least identifies what we 'need' which is much fairer. All workers play an essential role. You can't have a good team unless you have everything covered.
“Many large construction projects have been shelved or delayed or re-phased after Liz Truss decided to torpedo the economy, so helping to help ease immediate labour supply pressures, can only be good news.”
The change follows recommendations from the independent Migration Advisory Committee’s interim review of the construction sector, and includes bricklayers and masons; roofers, tilers, and slaters; carpenters and joiners; plasterers and construction and building trades.
The news, announced by chancellor Jeremy Hunt, is due to take place before the summer. It means people on the shortage occupation list (SOL) can apply for a skilled worker visa to come and work in the UK.
Mr Hunt said the list would now also be reviewed more regularly “so that the legal migration system is quicker and more responsive to the needs of businesses and the economy”.
Steel erectors, scaffolders and road construction operatives have not been recommended to be added to the SOL.
The BBC reports from November 2022 to January 2023, compared with the period before the pandemic from January to March 2020, vacancies are 72% higher in hospitality and 65% higher in construction. This compares to an increase of 42% in the overall economy.
Dan Grimshaw is a design and construction specialist based in Bath and London. He is a mentor to the British Library’s prestigious Innovating for Growth programme and is a jury member for the BLT Built Design Awards.
