Recruitment consultants Cpl Solutions International, has warned that sectors vital to the growth of the economy including agri–food are facing a skills crisis if action isn’t taken to support the future status of EU workers resident in Northern Ireland.

Cpl which has 39 offices in 11 countries and recently incorporated in the USA, has stated that if this issue is not addressed Northern Ireland will lose labour intensive jobs to the Republic.

Northern Ireland currently employs 70k people in the agri–food sector and is outperforming the rest of the UK in export growth which rose by 6% to £7.4 billion last year. Agri–food contributes £1bn per annum to the local economy with 70% of all sales from the food and drinks processing industry being exported.

According to Áine Brolly, Chief Executive, Cpl, continuing access to an EU labour pool should be a priority to prevent Northern Ireland losing jobs with the regional criteria for entry, plus the number allowed access to be influenced by local needs.

Commenting, she said, “EU workers form a vital part of our economy and with the uncertainty and changing social dynamic following Brexit, as well as the fall in sterling, businesses are struggling to recruit the number of EU nationals needed to support business development. The agri–food industry is reliant on EU workers who make up 90% of its employee base, often on temporary contracts due to the seasonal nature of work and this flow of workers has to be maintained to ensure the continued growth of the sector.”

Cpl stated that across the UK the number of temporary workers such as bank nurses, fruit pickers, IT consultants and other agency staff has grown by 30%, or 200,000 people, to 865,000 since 2011 with an expected 1 million required by the end of the decade.

Áine Brolly added, “Should future policy restrict access to this non UK labour pool, then the agri–food industry will face a significant challenge. The industry would become less competitive and could decline as a result and in Northern Ireland more labour intensive jobs may end up relocating to the South of Ireland, where there would still be access to a wider EU labour pool. Northern Ireland is the most exposed region of the UK regarding this issue, given the nature of the all island economy and all island businesses operating here.”