So a big announcement today about skills shortages - and it’s not the one about to be given by the PM

A red warning light from the official body which looks at skills shortages about the lack of people available for the social care sector https://www.gov.uk/government/news/migration-advisory-committee-reviews-shortage-occupation-lists

This is what the Migration Advisory Committee says about care workers and nursing assistants - vital during a pandemic

They warn of “stark consequences of low wages in social care”

All this before the end of free movement at the end of the year

Even though we are about to experience a huge national spike in unemployment, the MAC warns that the social care sector will “struggle to recruit” if wages are not increased “as a matter of urgency”

Looking at this statement closely, the head of the Migration Advisory Council seems to be saying that it shouldn’t automatically to be left to migration to fill key roles

And unemployed Brit people won’t be doing some jobs which will need to be filled by people from overseas

So question for the PM today will be - to what extent does his speech on training provide the answers to the skills shortages which the Migration Advisory Committee today say exist - and mean we need to hire from overseas

(Even as end of free movement makes coming here more £)

Note how the number of people born outside the UK has dropped more sharply than at any point in the last 20 years (the EU born workforce dipped significantly sharply, despite settled status scheme making it easier for them to stay)

Also look at the sectors that rely most at the moment on non-UK born labour

“The transport and communication sector and the distribution, hotels and restaurants sector have the lowest proportion of UK-born in employment.”

Here are conclusions of the MAC
- Unemployment set to reach 12% according to OBR
- Future of labour market and migration “uncertain”
- Gvt relaxed some migration restrictions as result of Covid leading to likely rise in migrants from outside EU
- But end of free movement hits too

Or to put it another way, the conclusion of the MAC is:

The problem filling jobs in key industries is the lack of wages and skills, not a surplus of people from overseas.

Indeed we now need more from overseas in industries vital to cope wire the pandemic