Building Design: Why Immigration is Key to Meeting the UK’s Housebuilding Targets

In an article published by Building Design, Manager Kirsty Moore and Associate Ilaria Iovieno explore how immigration policy is central to achieving the UK government’s pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.

They outline the construction sector’s critical labour shortages and assess whether the UK’s immigration system is equipped to meet workforce demands. The article discusses high salary thresholds, restrictive visa rules and escalating costs under the Skilled Worker route—barriers that disproportionately affect access to overseas talent. While reforms introduced the Immigration Salary List (ISL) in April 2024 to ease recruitment in some key roles, many essential occupations like electricians and engineers were excluded.

They call for a more flexible, transparent and economically aligned approach—one that bridges short-term gaps through accessible visa routes while supporting long-term skills development locally.

Read more here (a subscription may be required to access this article).