UK realty huge opportunity for skilled Indian construction workers: Report

The labour shortage in the United Kingdom (UK) may open up new vistas of opportunity for skilled workers in India, if data are any indication. According to the Shortage Occupation List released by the UK’s Chartered Institute of Building, there were 41,000 job vacancies in the country’s construction industry between December 2022 and February 2023.

The UK’s construction industry is predicted to record a revenue of £476.6 billion until 2027, according to industry reports. With £239.4 billion, the construction of buildings is expected to remain the biggest segment in the UK. This growth and the shortage of manpower may provide Indian skilled real estate and construction workers with many immigration opportunities, says experts.

“The UK realty sector continues to thrive, especially in house building, as the government has committed to build 300,000 new homes per year by the mid-decade. However, Brexit has caused a shortage of labour in the industry, as builders from Europe, particularly Eastern European countries, could previously work freely in the UK,” says Yash Dubal, the UK visa and immigration expert.

“With the recent addition of new trades to the shortage occupation list, I predict that we may witness more European workers entering the UK realty development industry. While it is possible that skilled workers from India and other countries may find opportunities in the UK’s realty industry. I remain interested to observe if this route will be utilised by Indian construction workers and to see how they may contribute to the UK construction sector,” says  Dubal, who is also director of the UK immigration law firm AY&J Solicitors.

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According to developers body Naredco, which undertakes skill training for over one lakh industry workers annually, India can become a major supplier of skilled workforce for the global real estate and construction sector, including the UK, considering the country’s expertise and potential to produce skilled and efficient workforce.

Rajan Bandelkar, national president, Naredco, said, “With the likely free trade agreement of India with the UK and structural changes in the visa framework, the immigration prospects for the skilled real estate workforce exploring employment opportunities in the UK might increase in the near future… If the UK gives smooth access to skilled workforce through visa relaxations to address its manpower challenges, it would pave the way for skilled Indian workforce in the construction sector to bridge this deficit and seek the UK as a preferred immigration destination.”