UK is looking for workers to fill over a million job vacancies

The UK, one of the richest countries in the world, has nearly 1.2 million job openings and no candidates to fill them.

The official data are from the Office for National Statistics (National Statistics Department, a kind of British IBGE).

The problem is seriously worrying the government, since the lack of workers reduces the productivity of companies and the growth of the economy.

The lack of workers is felt in several sectors, and not just in those where the workforce is less qualified.

There is a lack, for example, of doctors, nurses, teachers, IT specialists and workers for the logistics, hotels, bars and restaurants sectors.

Many companies are resorting to immigration, bringing qualified employees from various parts of the world.

Despite Brexit, the process that led the country to leave the European Union and close its job market to Europeans, the United Kingdom recorded a historic record for the entry of immigrants in 2022.

According to the Office For National Statistics, about 504,000 people moved permanently to the island last year.

More than half of that number came with permanent or temporary work visas obtained by the companies that hired them.

To be eligible to work in the UK, applicants must have an official job offer with a salary of at least £25,600 a year.

The crisis is so big that the government will announce this Wednesday (14) a series of measures to try to attract more British people to the job market.

These measures form part of the UK’s overall budget announcement for the fiscal year starting in April.

Economy Minister Jeremy Hunt will announce, for example, incentives for retirees to return to the job market and will also release students to work legally for 40 hours a week, more than the current authorized 20 hours.