Number of Europeans looking for work in UK drops

11-Dec-2017 - Last updated on 11-Dec-2017 at 12:31 GMT

UK attractiveness shrinking: Europeans are starting to look elsewhere for work

The UK remains the most popular country among Europeans looking to work abroad, but its "lead is eroding fast", according to new analysis by job site Indeed.

Researchers analysed the online search patterns of millions of job seekers across the the 'EU15' (select 15 countries of the European Union), and found that among those looking for work in another country, the UK remains the most popular choice – attracting almost a third of all interest in the first nine months of the year.

Currently, the hospitality sector, comprising pubs, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and coffee shops, employs 150,000 migrant workers, and has grown at more than 6% a year since 2010 with restaurants showing a 9.3% annual improvement.

Concerns have been raised that as a direct result of Brexit, and what it would potentially mean for EU nationals working in the UK, filling jobs within hospitality could become increasingly difficult.

Now, new analysis shows that the UK’s 31.8% share of EU15 cross-border job searches in the first nine months of 2017 is 14.7% lower than it was during the same period in 2015.

Indeed EMEA economist Mariano Mamertino said: “For much of the past decade, Britain’s dynamic labour market has made it a poster boy for ambitious Europeans keen to progress their careers.

“Last year’s Brexit vote hasn’t stopped that attractiveness in its tracks, but it is clearly giving many European job seekers pause for thought.

“So while the UK is still the most popular destination among Europeans looking to work abroad, its lead is shrinking fast."

Itchy feet

Britain’s loss could be its rivals’ gain – and Germany, France and Ireland are all attracting a greater share of the interest from upwardly mobile EU citizens, according to the statistics.

“One more surprising aspect of the Brexit effect is the apparent outbreak of itchy feet among British job seekers," continued Mamertino.

"Britain remains a net importer of talent from the EU, but the surge of interest in European roles among UK-based job seekers suggests the cross-Channel traffic is no longer just a one-way street.”

Indeed’s data mirrors the UK’s latest official migration statistics, which show that the number of EU citizens moving to Britain fell by 19% in the 12 months following the Brexit referendum.

During the same period, the number of EU citizens leaving Britain rose by 29% to 123,000.