Could small businesses be affected by migration levels?

Date: 6th September 2010

Small businesses could find there is a lack of skilled labour available if expats start to leave the UK.

According to the Trade Union Congress (TUC), many expats may be considering leaving the country because of the weak economy.

However, the country's economic problems could be exacerbated by the skills shortage their leaving could create.

It follows a recent survey by HSBC which found 67 per cent of expats in the United Kingdom think the economy has worsened since the start of 2009.

"If large numbers of workers leave the UK, the economy will be left with damaging skills shortages that could further hamper our prospects of recovery," said a TUC spokesperson.

"This shows just how important it is for both the government and employers to invest in skills and maintain the UK’s competitiveness."

The government recently announced that the number of workers entering the UK from outside Europe will be controlled by a new limit with net migration scaled back to 1990s levels.

Posted by Emily Smith