The Immigration Paradox: Towns Got Tighter Rules—Now They Can't Fill Jobs

Post-industrial towns that voted to restrict immigration in 2016 are now facing a labour crisis. UK non-EU migration fell 161,000 to 350,000 in 2025 after visa restrictions. Agriculture, care, and hospitality sectors that depend on migrant workers can't find staff. Domestic workers haven't shifted into these jobs, and wages remain too low to attract them. The voters got what they wanted. Their economies didn't.