A third of recruiters have seen a 25% decrease in migrant workers since June’s temporary cap on non-EU skilled migrant workers, according to new research from procurer of temporary agency labour de Poel.

The cap was introduced by the coalition government in June and will cut the number of skilled workers from outside Europe by 1,300 by April 2011. A permanent cap remains under review.  

The research also shows that 30% of recruitment agencies believe the care sector is most affected by the cap and the lack of skilled workers available. 

Among other sectors, 22% of agencies think the logistics sector has particularly suffered while 21% believe manufacturing and 16% construction have been hit hardest.  

Matthew Sanders, chief executive of de Poel, says: “Our research should offer some reassurance to recruiters and employers but there’s a much bigger problem that needs addressing and that’s the current skills shortage affecting particular industries such as the care sector. Many of the agencies we work with are reporting hundreds of vacancies for qualified social care workers as such sectors rely heavily on skilled migrants to make up a large proportion of their workforce. 

“The government needs to design the migration system so that it prevents migrants from undercutting British jobseekers but it doesn’t harm economic recovery.”