An increase in demand for professional contractors means good news for those thinking of moving to the UK.

An ongoing skills shortage predicted in the temporary labour market has prompted a growing need for qualified staff across a number of sectors. Moving overseas to work as a contractor can be a daunting prospect for most people, with relocating, finding places to live and work among the most stressful part of the whole process. This is why having an umbrella company to act as your ’employer’ is a beneficial solution for contractors.

MyOE UK General Manager and Finance Director Andy Myers says it is a good opportunity for skilled workers to relocate.

“UK media and recruitment firms are reporting renewed opportunities for accountants, IT workers, engineers and business consultants wanting to live and work in the UK. Recruiters are forecasting a shortage through to the end of 2013 and into 2014.”

Mr. Myers said the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) recent Jobs Outlook survey indicated that 40% of employers planned to increase their use of contractors over the next three months and 34% over the next four to 12 months.

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“Employers are more optimistic than they were last year. There are 400,000 more people employed in the UK compared with 12 months ago and the prediction of continued growth indicates we are recovering from the recession, especially in the job market.”

Mr. Myers says the REC’s June report listed IT and engineering in second and third place on their league table of sectors that have skills shortages.

“For IT professionals in particular there has not been such a call for contractors since May 2011, and the demand index for engineering has been increasing month by month by over 10 per cent,” he says.

IT contractor demand for June was scored by the REC at 57.3 points, which is up from 54.8 in January and from the 2012 peak of 54.6 in December. There has been real term growth of almost six index points in the last year.

The REC report explained that a lack of specific IT skills needed to fulfill permanent roles meant that employers were hiring on a temporary basis instead, which is reflected in the increased need for contractors. The report noted a particular demand for IT contractors with skills in Java, PHP, Net and VM.

MyOE was established in 1998 to help professionals relocate to the UK for work by assisting with all aspects of the move from planning the relocation to providing a hub that can offer several tailored employment solutions and contractor management services, through to arrival and beyond.

MyOE offer the best overseas experience and tier 5 youth mobility visa on the market. MyOE makes sure you land on your feet in your new country and save on tax in your new job. Our payroll processing service guarantees more take home pay.

If you’d like to find out more about the uk visa services myOE can offer contractors who want to live and work in the UK, call 1300 654 484 to speak to one of our dedicated team members.