Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook on Sky News (Image: Sky News)
Overseas workers will be needed to fill shortfalls in the construction sector, a minister has said.
But hundreds of thousands more migrant workers are needed for Sir Keir Starmer to fulfil his pledge to build 1.5million homes by the end of this parliament, according to the building industry.
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The UK needs an extra 250,000 construction workers by 2028 in order to meet demand, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has said.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook was asked ths morning whether the Government could relax the post-Brexit requirement to sponsor a visa for workers coming from the EU.
He said: "Actually, the previous government did change the visa systems on construction workers - the essential shortage list - to allow more construction workers in. It's made a bit of a difference, it hasn't made a huge difference.
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"And again, part of what speaks to some of the foundational importance of migration as part of the plan for change; we've got to do more to upskill our own workforce, to ensure that those those training places, those apprenticeships and ultimately those jobs are coming from people that live in this country to fill those vacancies.
"You can't rely wholly on an overseas workforce - it will play a role, I'm sure, but as I say, the previous government's change to the shortage occupation list hasn't made a huge difference - we've still got some of those challenges around construction capacity."
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) claimed that the Government’s housebuilding goal is unreachable unless the construction skills shortage is addressed.
The trade body, which represents small and medium-sized contractors, said hundreds of thousands such visas will be required over the next couple of years to deliver the target.
Rico Wojtulewicz of the NFB, said: “It takes two to three years to train an apprentice and then two years for them to become competent. We need to cover that shortfall until enough people are trained.
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“We need workers in all areas, especially specialist ones such as steel workers in London for tall buildings. Having experienced workers is vital, and that can only currently come from immigration and people coming back into the sector. It’s not just direct construction either, as we also need experienced trainers in colleges and building control officers.”
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Meanwhile the CITB estimated the construction industry needs to recruit 50,300 workers a year over the next five years.
This house building target could come into conflict with the Government’s aim of reducing migration.
The country’s construction industry is facing a skills shortage, particularly in technical and engineering disciplines.