Despite the government’s intent to attract talent, these changes have raised concerns among businesses.
The higher recruitment costs now equate the costs of recruiting from the EU to those from elsewhere, impacting smaller businesses and sectors with lower pay scales, such as hospitality and care.
Universities have also reported difficulties in offering competitive salaries within their set bands, potentially leading to fewer qualified professionals in specialised roles.
Healthcare and tech sectors are worried about the removal of roles from the Shortage Occupation List, which could make it harder to recruit skilled workers.
Concerns have been further highlighted by the recent withdrawal of job offers by firms like KPMG, HSBC, and Deloitte.
The impact of government schemes designed to get people back into work, such as boot camps for fast-track training in areas like HGV driving, care, and hospitality, remains to be seen.