Firms suffer decline in eastern Europe workers

NEW housing and population regulations along with the falling value of the pound are seeing workers from Eastern Europe leave the island.

Published Aug 30, 2017

Photo By Steve Sarre 27-09-16 Cordier Mews Cordier Hill Lilita Kruze is concerned there are a number of seasonal workers who not know how the new population regime will affect them (19190054)

As a result, businesses which employ overseas staff are suffering, including having to downsize to cope.

A similar trend has been reported in the UK, with many putting the drop down to Brexit and the lack of certainty that came with the referendum.

In the first three months of 2017 just 26,000 UK national insurance numbers were registered to citizens of the so-called EU8 countries, the lowest number since the countries joined the EU in 2005.

Honorary Consul of Latvia in Guernsey, Lilita Kruze, said she was not surprised by the trends.

Read full story in the Guernsey Press