DORSET’S tourism industry is facing a Brexit recruitment crisis, with supply of job applicants at an “all time low”.

A sharp decline in net migration has meant fewer European staff looking for work in the area’s hospitality businesses, bosses say.

Andy Woodland, vice-chairman of the Bournemouth Area Accommodation and Hotel Association, said there had been a severe drop in the number of mainland Europeans seeking work locally since the vote to leave the EU.

“The availability of hospitality candidates is at an all-time low with the Brexit announcement reducing the flow of European workers,” he said.

“Why would EU workers come to Britain when there is no certainty of employment after Brexit?”

Mr Woodland, who is group operations manager at FJB Hotels, said the collapse in the pound meant overseas workers’ pay was worth 20 per cent less when they sent it home.

“The days are gone when existing workers would recommend their family and friends to come to the UK and already the EU graduates’ rights to work in the UK are limited,” he said.

He said Brexit was already costing the hotel trade because of labour shortages and rising food prices.

The lack of candidates meant hotels were paying more in to recruitment agencies and recruitment websites and in higher pay.

He said it did not help that the hospitality jobs were considered unskilled. “We’re up against a government that doesn’t believe a head waiter in a four-star hotel is a skilled worker,” he said.

Speaking at an event on Brexit and immigration, as part of Bournemouth University’s Festival of Learning, Mr Woodland said Bournemouth and Poole had practically “zero unemployment”.

The event heard that some recruitment agencies had been unable to keep up with demand and had let customers down.

Theo Lakimov, general manager at Bournemouth’s Hotel Miramar, said 12 per cent of the local hospitality workforce was from overseas.

But it is estimated that 96 per cent of the European workforce in the industry would not be eligible for a work permit under the existing rules for non-EU residents.

“If we take a hard look at Brexit, the industry will have to recruit more than 60,000 UK workers each year,” said Mr Lakimov.

“Employment in the UK is at an all-time high. We’re competing with every other industry.”

But he said there were also some opportunities from Brexit.

“Brexit is a challenge but this is an opportunity for us to work towards becoming more efficient businesses and better recruiters,” he said.