Publication of the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) review into the shortage occupation list (SOL) does little to address NFU Scotland’s deep concerns regarding the industry’s future access to labour.
While the Review notes issues raised by NFU Scotland and others, it has produced no practical suggestions on how to resolve them.
In the NFUS submission to MAC, it highlighted the many agricultural, haulage and food chain jobs where there are shortages of UK applicants and non-UK staff are essential. The report records the issue but offers no solution and ignores that there is market failure.
NFUS has consistently raised concerns about future workforce requirements in seasonal and permanent positions in the agricultural and wider food and drink industry chain, having recently attended roundtables with Home Office Officials and the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP.
At these meetings NFUS has raised the view, shared by the UK farming unions and other agriculture and food chain representative organisations, that the MAC’s exclusion of essential agricultural roles is misguided and a misrepresentation of the strong need within the industry for a non-UK workforce.
The Union hopes to meet with a senior ministerial figure on farm in the next few weeks to outline what Scottish food and farming wants to emerge from the UK Government’s White Paper proposals for the future of the immigration system.
President Andrew McCornick from Dumfries and Galloway said: “This report does nothing to address existing or future post-Brexit labour requirements across a whole host of jobs and industries.
“That is hugely frustrating and disappointing. The Government needs to recognise that the MAC is failing to provide the advice needed to resolve the issue of shortages of vital workers that cannot be solved by just increasing wages.
“All advanced economies are faced by similar issues and allow migration to fill such jobs. The MAC seems to think that the UK is different and that our industry is immune to real world pressures, including competition from other countries.
“What we need is the opening of Tier 3 to allow workers who have the skills we need but may not have the formal qualifications demanded by the current and future proposed immigration system. We also desperately need the SOL to allow us to fill gaps in our labour market in those positions where the salary level is below £30,000 per year.
“The MAC notes that the Government White Paper refers to circumstances where there should be flexibility to allow migration at lower salary levels, but the MAC has not made any recommendation to reduce the £30,000 minimum. And although the report has a section on lower skilled workers, it makes no recommendations relating to them.
“The only occupation added to the SOL that we referred to in our submission is the veterinary profession and that, from both a veterinary service and food hygiene perspective, is welcome.
“A change of direction is badly needed at the highest level and we hope to meet with a senior ministerial figure on farm in the next few weeks to outline just what Scottish food and farming wants to emerge from the UK Government’s White Paper proposals for the future of the immigration system in the UK.”
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