MP meets Immigration Minister over Lakes hospitality staffing crisis

This week, local MP Tim Farron met with the Immigration Minister Kevin Foster to make the case for the Government to fix the staffing crisis in the Lake District hospitality and tourism sector.

Tim encouraged the minister to extending the Youth Mobility Scheme visa to European countries.

The visa allows young people aged 18-30 to come and live and work in the UK for up to two years but is currently only available to Australia, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand and San Marino.

The latest research conducted by Cumbria Tourism found that 85% of businesses in the sector are struggling with recruitment issues.

On average, 14% of available roles are vacant (up to 50% for some businesses), with 86% reporting a lack of applicants for roles.

Over half of businesses surveyed cite the loss of European staff post-Brexit.

Tim said: "I'm grateful to the minister for giving his time to listen to my case.

"Of course first and foremost I want to see young people from Cumbria given the opportunities to work in our world class hospitality and tourism industry.

"However with around 80% of the local working age population in the Lake District already working in this sector, it's always been clear that we need people from outside the area to fill the huge recruitment gaps.

"Fundamentally, if the Government fail to take the necessary action to fix this it will be local businesses and local workers that will suffer."