Number of EU workers actively searching for jobs in the UK has dropped since Brexit vote, new research shows

Job seekers from Romania, Portugal, Poland and Spain have dropped significantly since June 2016

UK businesses employed a total of 2.35 million EU nationals in 2017 (REUTERS)

The number of EU workers actively searching for jobs in the UK has dropped by 11.4 per cent since the 2016 Brexit referendum, new research shows.

Searches made by Romanian job seekers saw a drop of 52 per cent, closely followed by those from Portugal (41 per cent), Poland (34 per cent) and Spain (26 per cent), according to online jobs board monster.co.uk.

It says online searches made by EU citizens for management roles in the UK has dropped by 24.8 per cent since June 2016, more than any other occupation.

Jobs in sales, legal professions and accounting have all been searched 21 per cent less since the Brexit vote, as EU nationals fear uncertainty over freedom of movement and the status of EU citizens once the UK leaves the bloc.

UK businesses employed a total of 2.35 million EU nationals in 2017.

“While the proportion of international traffic from outside the EU has increased, a fall in active searches from EU countries in the wake of the referendum threatens to leave UK businesses unable to fill critical skilled roles”, said Sinead Bunting, marketing vice president at Monster.

“And things could get even more challenging”.

A government report released on Wednesday said the hospitality sector is at particular risk of skills shortages, with nearly half of workers in restaurants, hotels and pubs originating from outside the UK.

The Migration Advisory Committee, which detailed findings from more than 400 businesses and government departments, described EU nationals as “higher quality and more eager” than British citizens and warned reduced immigration after Brexit could be “disastrous” for UK businesses.