REC Response to Prime Minister’s Comments on Recruitment Overseas

Tuesday 29th July 2014

Commenting on allegations made by the Prime Minister’s today that some recruiters are advertising exclusively overseas and the publication of a new consultation to amend the Conduct Regulations to prohibit such behaviour, the REC CEO Kevin Green said:

“British agencies should be listing all vacancies in Britain and in English. Advertising exclusively overseas is already prohibited under the existing Equality Act and we have not seen any evidence that it is happening. Anyone with evidence should contact us so we can investigate.

“Any discriminatory practice in this area must be stopped and we will work with BIS on this consultation and with all government departments and political parties to uncover and address any evidence of such behaviour.

“Recruiters’ focus is helping people find rewarding jobs. Recruitment agencies have tens of thousands of people walking through their doors looking for work every day and last year helped over 600,000 people in Britain find a new permanent job.”

Notes to editors:

1. In a column for the Daily Telegraph today the Prime Minister David Cameron wrote: “Some recruitment agencies have even been recruiting directly from elsewhere in the EU without British workers ever getting a chance to apply for the jobs. So we are banning overseas-only recruitment – legally requiring these agencies to advertise in English in the UK”