Post-Brexit immigration curbs spark pay boom for hospitality workers

Bar staff serve drinks - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Bar staff serve drinks – Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Post-Brexit curbs on immigration are proving a boon for restaurant workers as wage increases outstrip the national average.

Pay for staff in the hospitality sector has risen by 9.5pc – compared with the national average of 6.6pc – over the last year, new research shows.

Pub wages are growing at the fast rate within the sector, increasing by 11.3pc, according to online headhunter Caterer.com.

The website said that there are now more than 1,700 jobs being advertised that offer an annual salary of £50,000 or more.

A combination of near-full employment and a crackdown on foreign workers in the wake of Britain’s exit from the EU has left restaurants, bars and hotels fighting for labour.

An estimated 200,000 international workers from the hospitality sector have left the UK since 2019, recent figures revealed.

Bosses are also offering incentives to workers, with “mental health and wellbeing days” listed as particularly popular at aiding staff retention.

Kathy Dyball, director at Caterer.com, said: “As the long-standing skills shortage continues to impact the sector, hospitality employers are focused on offering competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the people they need.

“Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis and other challenges faced by hospitality employers, such as rising energy costs and inflation, the industry understands the value of its people, and has ramped up efforts to provide appealing and rewarding opportunities for employees.”

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source: yahoo.com