Immigration drives builders to emigrate

An influx of immigrants into the UK construction industry could be driving increased numbers of skilled British construction workers to emigrate to Australia and New Zealand, a leading emigration consultant claimed this week.
The Emigration Group, a consultancy that helps potential emigrants to Australia and New Zealand process visa applications and find work, has witnessed a marked increase in emigration applications from skilled UK construction workers in the past four years. Managing director Geoff Taylor told CJ: “We have noticed a dramatic growth since 2002 with numbers doubling in that period. One reason for the rise in building workers is the huge influx of foreign labour into the construction industry, particularly in the South East, with a lot of builders saying they want to emigrate because they can’t compete with the low wages.”

[Contract Journal, 18 October 2006, p 3]