Brexit is still very much in the news and there is even a growing concern over whether or not this will set the UK’s green agenda back as a greater number of industries begin planning their exit.
According to sources, these are the very same companies that helped make the UK a leader in the green economy and if they exit, what will this mean to the average worker? Will Brexit now send an even greater number of workers packing than the current 5 million plus expats already living and working abroad? Only time will tell, but here is some of what concerns Brits from all walks of life.
There Is Plenty More Where That Came From
If you look at the dispersion of expats working abroad, oddly you will not find them in the EU at this time! Although Brexit comes amidst warnings that many continental workers will return home if their jobs migrate that way, history has something else to say about where Brits tend to seek jobs abroad.
The top three countries with the largest number of British expats are:
Australia
United States
Canada
You may wonder why those three countries should top the list and the answer is quite clear: each of those nations have a sizeable landmass and plenty of job opportunities based on sheer size alone. Australia may be small by Canadian and US standards, but the move isn’t difficult for British expats seeking a ‘home away from home’. With miles of coastline and a culture similar in many ways to the UK, Brits find it easy to assimilate there.
As for Canada and the US, both countries are huge in terms of land mass and there are plenty of opportunities from coast to coast. When it comes to looking for a place to settle and work, there’s always more where that came from in North America!
Does Seeking Work Abroad Frighten You?
Now let’s look at some figures which might set your mind at ease a bit. Although these statistics are a few years outdated, the numbers are much the same. Currently, there are almost 6 million Brits living and working abroad.
If you are looking for a potentially safe haven when it comes to CV Distribution, consider the fact that of those 5+ million Brits working abroad, those three countries alone employ:
Australia – Approximately 1.3 million British expats
United States – Almost 800,000 expats
Canada – Almost 700,000 expats
These figures were released in the autumn of 2015, but the numbers are fairly consistent today. It only takes a brief look to see that the countries employing the greatest number of expats are not in the Eurozone and that all three economies are doing well. However, what does this mean for the economy in the UK?
Don’t Lose Hope Just Yet
Within the past year, there has been a great deal of controversy over whether or not a significant number of people will be without jobs when Brexit is final. Actually, there may be more vacancies available due to a larger number of European workers returning to their homelands if the trade agreements fall through.
It seems that the only thing the general public has been hearing is about the companies that might move back to the Eurozone. However, even should that happen, it will be somewhat levelled off by the number of EU workers returning home.
Companies Leaving UK As a Result of Brexit
As of March of this year, there were eight companies which have announced they are leaving or opening planned new offices on the continent when Brexit is final. Some of those companies are fairly large, but the good news is that UK workers may be given the option to work on the continent with the proper registration.
Companies leaving include:
1. Diageo
2. Easy Jet
3. Deutsche Bank
4. Goldman Sachs
5. Barclay’s
6. Microsoft
7. Smiffy’s
8. Lloyds of London
You will notice that some of those companies have a parent company in the UK. Lloyd’s of London, for example, has no intention of moving their base of operations to the continent, but rather are planning on opening subsidiaries in the EU to guarantee continued trading. Others are also changing their plans on opening branches in the UK in favour of opening branches in the EU for the same reasons Lloyds stated.
Job Seekers May Need to Relocate
The bottom line is that much is still uncertain. There will be jobs, but the question is where? Those who are actively submitting their CV may need to be open to relocating on the continent, but there will be jobs. It is less certain for the economy at this point as analysts are saying that a break from the EU could have complications if talks aren’t as amenable as planned. Anyone seeking employment is still urged to apply to the companies of their choice but should also be aware of the potential for relocation.
