The United Kingdom is facing the challenge of job shortages that is already berthing economic losses to institutions and organisations, Investors King has learnt.
The situation is fuelling inflation in the country, especially in the area of offsetting wages of the shrinking labour force.
It was gathered that most companies and organisations had to pay higher for workers who have had to work more and spend more time on duties.
Accordingly, Investors King can report that the situation of decline in manpower is affecting the country’s productivity and rendering of services.
To tackle the challenge, the government of the United Kingdom might be planning to review upward the number of hours international students can work during their studies.
It’s expected that when the extension is done, widening job vacancies across the country would be filled and inflation would be abated.
The nation’s ministers, after due diligence and planning, might extend the work hour limit for international students from 20 to 30 hours per week or to remove it completely.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was said to have indicated desire to boost the workforce in order to prevent employers from spending heavily on the existing workers.
It was gathered that the policy, if considered, would afford the students opportunity to work more and meet up with the financial needs even as they are contributing t the economic growth of the country.
The employment gaps were created following increasing economic challenge and the withdrawal process of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Meanwhile, the consideration of the extension of the work hours for international students have been greeted with mixed feelings from stakeholders.
While some said the students would benefit in it if it is eventually adopted in terms of fetching them more money and boosting their job experience, others have expressed concerns that the development may affect the academic performance of the international students.
Some Nigerians were of the view that their relations schooling in the UK wouldn’t be affected negatively as it would encourage more people to study in the country.
For them, working longer hours while studying can help address the hike in the cost of living owing to the effects of inflation in the UK.
“If it can be done, I believe it will help a lot of us studying here in UK. We can strike a balance between our studies and work and I can assure you that there won’t be problem in either our work or studies.
“Due to the expensive prices if things here, we will be happy to over more sources whereby we can make legitimate income and this planned work extension would be a welcome idea to us studying here,” a Masters student in UK who simply identified himself as Wumi told Investors King.
However, others contended that the policy would make students to struggle with making good grades in their careers.