Yahoo Finance The crucial British jobs that pay less than £30,000
The government’s plans to limit the flow of immigrants by setting a high salary threshold for workers is facing criticism from businesses who worry they will have more trouble hiring crucial staff.
“A £30,000 salary threshold for those coming to the UK could severely restrict access to the right skills in many sectors: construction, retail and care to name just a few,” said Mike Cherry, the chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses.
The government is considering setting the threshold at £30,000 per year, but plans to consult with businesses in 2019 before making a decision.
Here’s a sample of some of the jobs and average pay levels that come in below the £30,000 threshold, compiled by the business lobby group London First:
GP office managers – £25,300
Nurses – £21,000 to £35,000, depending on seniority and experience
Meat hygiene inspectors – £25,400
Drugs & alcohol counsellors – £21,000
Translators and interpreters – £22,800
Aircraft technicians – £28,600
Aeronautical engineers – £28,400
London First noted that just over 75% of health care workers in the UK earn less than £30,000 per year. It’s advocating that the government use a salary threshold of £20,155, which is considered the London Living Wage.
The average UK health care worker earns just £24,000 per year, according to pay data from the recruitment website Glassdoor.co.uk.
A range of other industries also have average pay levels well below £30,000. Here’s the breakdown from Glassdoor:
Restaurants, bars & food services – £14,600
Retail – £16,000
Arts, entertainment & recreation – £18,000
Travel & tourism – £20,500
Real estate – £25,000
Transport & logistics – £26,000
Education – £27,000
Business services – £28,000
The UK tourism industry is particularly at risk as the government mulls the £30,000 threshold and removes preferential access for citizens from the European Union.
“Over a third of staff in the inbound tourism industry are from the EU and their language and customer service skills are vital …However, many of these staff earn under £30,000 and restricting this pipeline of workers could see tourism businesses start to suffer and fail,” warned the head of the trade group UKinbound, Joss Croft.
READ MORE: These shocking immigration stats show the disconnect between rules and reality
