London mayor Sadiq Khan is pressing the government to create a new 12-month visa for construction workers so the capital can meet its goal of 66,000 new homes a year.

Mr Khan warned there is a risk affordable homes targets will be missed because building firms can't find staff in the wake of Brexit and the pandemic.

"Tackling London's housing crisis has always been one of my top priorities,” said Mr Khan, who is calling for a regional shortage occupation list to allow London and other cities to attract and retain staff in sectors with acute labour shortages.

In its trade survey for the third quarter of 2021 the Federation of Master Builders found nearly two-thirds of local builders had paused jobs due to lack of labour. Nearly half were struggling to recruit in key skills such as bricklaying and carpentry.

FMB chief executive Brian Berry said: "Short-term solutions like emergency visas will be a real shot in the arm for an industry under pressure."

The number of EU construction workers in London fell by 54 per cent between April 2017 to April 2020, according to Office of National Statistics figures. The UK-born workforce is expected to dwindle over the next five years as an estimated 10 to 20 per cent reach retirement age.

18 January, 2022