Worry over cost of sponsoring foreign nationals, post Brexit

Employers have raised concerns over the cost of the Government’s post-Brexit immigration plans, as a report claiming many British workers are “unwilling” to fill current vacancies is released.
Half of 1,083 small firms surveyed said they would be unable to meet the immigration fees currently levied on employers hiring non-EU staff if extended to EU workers.

Under the current system, the cost of a Tier 2 visa sponsorship to a small employer exceeds £3,000. The report said the extra costs would mean one in 10 small businesses would have to radically change their business model or close altogether. It has been recommended that the cost of hiring EU and non-EU staff should be below £1,000 for small businesses, with exemptions for the smallest firms.

The report also found four in 10 small employers had struggled to recruit the right staff over the past year, with more than a third citing the unwillingness of UK citizens to work in their sector”.