Unemployment in the UK has hit its lowest levels since the 1970s, while wages are surging thanks to the decline in EU immigration in the wake of ongoing Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n
According to official statistics released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), average wages are rising at the fastest rate in a decade and employment has reached a record high in the UK.<\/p>\n
Total earnings are up 3.5%, including bonuses, in spite of expectations of a depressed labour market in the lead of up to the UK\u2019s departure from the European Union.<\/p>\n
Figures released by the ONS also show UK employment has risen to its joint-highest level since records began at 76.1% of the working-age population. The official unemployment rate has dropped to 3.9%, the lowest since the mid-1970s.<\/p>\n
Ryan Rennison, managing director of UK visa solutions experts, Move Up, said that these figures are good news for South Africans.<\/p>\n
“While the latest job market conditions in the UK could mean a slightly longer wait to find the right job, ongoing Brexit negotiations have led to an increase in the number of South Africans working in the UK.<\/p>\n
“Higher salaries will only make moving to the UK an even more attractive option for eligible South Africans to consider”.<\/p>\n
According to Rennison, many South Africans relocate to the UK for the medium term in order to develop their careers and save money.<\/p>\n
“Earning and saving pounds for an extended period of time allows South Africans to improve their lifestyle upon returning to South Africa: a few years in the UK often results in expats returning to buy property and settle back in the country with their young families; enjoying a more comfortable lifestyle at the same time”.<\/p>\n
“Assuming that the pound retains its strength post-Brexit, relocating to the UK is a great move that young professionals should still strongly consider,” he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some UK employers have lashed out at the UK government for the decline in EU migrant workers, complaining that small businesses will take a knock.<\/p>\n
The Recruitment & Employment Confederation said that their surveys show firms are still experiencing shortages of key staff, saying, ‘this is a big risk to future growth’, with The British Chambers of Commerce grumbling about \u201cthe perennial skills shortages plaguing UK businesses.<\/p>\n
Last year American think tank, the PEW Institute, reported that over 900,000 people have left South Africa since 1990.<\/p>\n
At the same time over four million people have immigrated to South Africa, mostly from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya and the DRC.<\/p>\n
According to StatsSA\u2019s Community Survey 2016, while Australia was the number one destination for South African emigrants (26%), the UK came a close second with 25% of all South African emigrants heading to the British islands between 2006 and 2016.<\/p>\n