Articles and Press Releases
24th November 2009 - News Release
Help in hand for Somerset bosses of migrant workers
The amount of migrants from the European Union applying to work in the South West has halved since 2007, according to figures released by the UK Border Agency.
With just 156,000 work permits approved in 2008, the region’s employers face a shortage of workers, with carers, farmers, hoteliers and food processors particularly affected.
Now Equality South West is running a free event to help Somerset bosses recruit and retain overseas workers. They will learn about the new points-based immigration system, the benefits of providing English tuition to their staff and the impact of health and safety legislation.
Monika Stennett, who runs Equality South West’s Migrant Worker Project, said: "Many migrant workers have returned home as a result of the recession, which has left a lot employers empty-handed. "For years they have relied on a large pool of foreign labour for this largely unskilled work, but now the pool is drying up, so what better time to help employers seek out new recruits and get the best from existing staff.
"Migrant workers contribute a huge amount to the region’s economy – and to its cultural life – and it is to everyone’s benefit they live and work in the South West."
More details of the event, in Glastonbury on November 26th, are available from Diana Blake. Please e-mail: Diana.blake@equalitysouthwest.org.uk, telephone 01823 250 836 or see our event pages: November
29th January 2009 - Overqualified & Underemployed
How the South West is missing out on the skills of migrant workers
While policy-makers and employers bemoan the lack of graduates willing to stay in the South West there are large numbers of migrant workers in the region with higher level qualifications which are not being used. What’s more, many of them may not be staying in the region much longer.
Limited English provision is still a major constraint on the ability of migrant workers to find jobs commensurate to their qualifications, according to the findings of a recent piece of research by Equality South West. But while the government has largely left it to employers to provide for necessary English provision, very few businesses are actually prepared to pay the fees required.
Some workers also felt that their nationality meant that they had faced different treatment at the hands of employers than they would have done if they were UK born workers. Others noted the difficulties they experienced and the cost of trying to get qualifications certified.
For more information please click here: Overqualified_&_Underemployed
A copy of the research report can be viewed at: Research_Report
