With the UK continuing to struggle with talent shortages and the elusive Employment Bill yet to be revealed, in a statement today [7 June] APSCo has recommended changes that are necessary for the country to build and sustain a global, flexible workforce.

Its latest policy recommendations – which are being shared with MPs and government officials – urges government to make the following key policy changes:

• Further review of ways to ensure the UK has a labour market fit for the future, including access to international, high-skilled, independent workers that will help to fill UK skills gaps across the economy.
• Maximising opportunities for a global trade in services, with trade deals facilitating mutual recognition of standards and regulation.
• Maintaining international standards whilst facilitating the frictionless storing and processing of data in the UK and internationally for UK businesses.

Tania Bowers, global public policy director at APSCo, commented: “The continued skills shortages that are being felt across the UK won’t disappear without appropriate action. It’s clear that there are simply not enough resources to fill the hiring needs of the country’s employers and if the UK is to remain an economic powerhouse, greater government intervention is needed to ensure businesses can access a global and flexible labour market.

“We welcomed the recent launch of the Global Business Mobility visas, however, the sponsorship requirement makes the route for independent contractors less viable. The government has effectively rolled over its existing multi-national trade obligation to offer a visa for self-employed independent professionals into the Service Supplier route, offering no new flexibility.

“Unfortunately, this will not plug the short-to-medium term skills gap as the UK looks to upskill and reskill the UK. The government should ensure that discussions and agreements on trade deals focus on skills, the workforce and the mutual recognition of services and professional qualifications as well as tariffs and goods.”

Bowers also called for the Data Reform Bill to “maintain standards and [provide] a platform for frictionless, cyber-secure transfer of data between countries…”. She continued: “The value of the recruitment and outsourcing industries in the UK is underpinned by their ability to securely store and process the personal data of candidates and clients. 

“Many APSCo and APSCo OutSource members are international organisations and rely on the frictionless transfer of data between the UK, EU, USA, Asia and the rest of the world to drive their productivity.”

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