THERE are fears Northern Ireland could lose agri-business jobs to the Republic if the status of EU workers is not secured.
Recruitment consultants Cpl Solutions International has warned that sectors vital to the growth of the economy, notably agri-food, are facing a skills crisis if action isn’t taken to support the future status of EU workers resident in Northern Ireland.
The group, which has 39 offices in 11 countries and recently incorporated in the USA, said that if the issue is not addressed the north risks losing labour intensive jobs to the Republic.
Chief executive Áine Brolly said continuous 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.
“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," she said.
"The agri-food industry is reliant on EU workers who make up 90 per cent 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.”
“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," she added.
Northern Ireland currently employs 70,000 people in the agri-food sector and is outperforming the rest of the UK in export growth which rose by six per cent to £7.4 billion last year.
Agri-food contributes £1 bilionn each year to the local economy with 70 per cent of all sales from the food and drinks processing industry being exported.
