{"id":516647,"date":"2025-03-19T12:45:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T12:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=516647"},"modified":"2025-03-19T12:00:12","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T12:00:12","slug":"resist-the-lure-of-abroad-says-citb-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/skills\/resist-the-lure-of-abroad-says-citb-chief-19-03-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"CITB chief calls on apprentices to resist Canada move"},"content":{"rendered":"

The body in charge of UK construction training has urged jobseekers to resist the attractions of a career abroad after Canada relaxed its immigration rules to attract foreign construction apprentices.<\/p>\n

His comments came after\u00a0Canada relaxed its immigration rules in a bid to attract construction apprentices from overseas to tackle the country\u2019s housing crisis.<\/p>\n

The temporary measure, introduced earlier this month, will allow foreign apprentices to finish their studies in Canada without a study permit.<\/p>\n

But Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), told Construction News<\/em> that potential UK trainees would benefit from staying put.<\/p>\n

<\/em>He said: \u201cThere are big opportunities both now and in the future for UK construction workers \u2013 the government aims to build 1.5 million new homes and approve 150 major infrastructure projects by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe opportunities aren\u2019t just on the horizon, they\u2019re in the here and now. If you want a well-paid, fulfilling career that teaches you valuable skills for life, then look no further than the UK construction industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new Canadian move comes after Balcon warned last year<\/a> that young people needed easier entry routes into the UK sector to counter offers of work abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy removing this administrative barrier, apprentices will be able to gain the valuable skills they need to contribute to infrastructure projects more quickly,\u201d Canada\u2019s government said.<\/p>\n

Marc Miller, the country\u2019s immigration minister, added: \u201cCanada\u2019s construction industry is vital to support and sustain our country\u2019s growth, and we need to bring in workers to meet the urgent need for skilled labour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucy Clarke, chief executive of recruitment firm Fixed Construction, said the Canada scheme was an \u201cinteresting initiative\u201d and one the UK could learn from \u201cparticularly in the summer months\u201d.<\/p>\n

She told CN<\/em>: \u201cWe see it with industries like farming where there are seasonal work visas, but it doesn\u2019t happen with construction at the moment. I think it would be very successful if it did.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, she acknowledged that relaxing the rules was a \u201chard topic\u201d as since Brexit, the issue of immigration has become \u201cheavily politicised\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The body in charge of UK construction training has urged jobseekers to resist the attractions of a career abroad after Canada relaxed its immigration rules to attract foreign construction apprentices. His comments came after\u00a0Canada relaxed its immigration rules in a bid to attract construction apprentices from overseas to tackle the country\u2019s housing crisis. The temporary …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29901,"featured_media":475194,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[575],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n