Special Report: Abta holds ‘Brexit Immigration and Skills Challenge’ forum

Industry urged to lobby for reform over point-based system. Juliet Dennis reports

The domestic travel industry must lobby “relentlessly” to change perceptions of the inbound tourism sector as ‘low‑skilled’ following the government’s announcement of a points-based immigration policy.

Under the new system, due to come into force in January 2021,
a minimum salary of £25,600 will be required for EU migrants to work in the UK as well as qualifications to A-level or equivalent. A ‘new entrant’ threshold is proposed at about £17,900.

The industry welcomed the government’s decision to reduce the general salary cap from the planned £30,000 but said the level was still “prohibitive” and criticised the decision to drop plans for a temporary ‘low-skilled’ regime to address short-term disruption.

More: Abta calls on government to reconsider elements of new immigration policy

Abta warns of ‘damaging effect’ to travel businesses under new immigration rules

UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft stressed the industry should not expect to win the argument with government quickly.

He said: “We should press for reform for January 1 but we should be prepared for the long haul. We have got to relentlessly chip away at government on the importance of our sector and that it is one of the best, in which you can go from the shop floor to the boardroom.

“These are important jobs. Calling them low-skilled is pejorative.”

Croft said the £25,600 salary cap was already “starting to worry” members, particularly as the sector has reported recruitment difficulties since 2016. John Guthrie, employment policy advisor for UKHospitality, agreed: “We face a formidable task changing the government’s mind on this. We have got to break out of the prison of ‘low-skilled’ and fight for its worth with ministers and the press.”

Left to right: Victoria Bacon; Nicola Heaslip; John Guthrie; Vicki Wolf; Kurt Janson; and Joss Croft

Guthrie called on the UK’s three million-strong hospitality and tourism workforce to back the cause.

“We need these people to be our advocates,” he added.

Inbound organisations also called for foreign language skills to be recognised in immigration policy as a skills gap in the UK that needed to be filled by EU workers.

Croft said: “We need to lobby for foreign language skills to be recognised as a skills shortage. There is a deficit in language skills taught in our schools. How are tourism businesses going to be able to deliver world-class standards people expect?”

‘New immigration pay rules will make it harder to recruit’

A UK hotel group says new minimum salary rates for immigrant workers from next year mean it will be able to recruit EU and other overseas staff only for jobs in London and the southeast, where pay is higher than the rest of the country.

Currently, almost half (45%) of the Specialist Leisure Group’s 1,600 staff in its 44 hotels are from overseas. From January 2021, EU workers will only be able to come to the UK if they have a job that offers a minimum annual salary of £25,600.

Nicola Heaslip, group HR director, said it was already difficult to recruit staff in the UK. She said: “There are places [in the UK] where nobody wants the jobs we offer. We will only be able to attract people to London and the southeast because of the salaries – there is a greater distinction between that region and the rest of the UK.”

Heaslip said many staff started on a lower salary and worked their way up, adding: “It’s not cheap labour. They might come here because they are young and want to experience new countries but then they build their career and become the best.”