Migrants are increasingly filling entry-level jobs traditionally taken by young Britons, according to analysis that has intensified debate over youth unemployment and labour market pressures.
Data from the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory suggests non-UK nationals now account for a significant share of workers in several key sectors, including hospitality, retail, and administrative services—areas long seen as the primary gateway into the labour market for school and university leavers.
The analysis indicates that around 31 per cent of hospitality roles are held by foreign nationals, alongside 34 per cent of administrative and support roles. In retail, migrants account for roughly 17 per cent of the workforce, equivalent to an estimated 3.7 million positions.
The trends are particularly pronounced in London, where migrants are reported to fill around 64 per cent of hospitality jobs.
Researchers from the Migration Observatory said non-UK nationals were “overrepresented in administrative services, hospitality, and health and care,” while being “underrepresented in public administration and the arts,” highlighting a structural imbalance across sectors.
The findings have prompted concern among critics who argue that young British workers are being squeezed out of early career opportunities at a time when youth unemployment remains elevated.
Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, said the figures reflected what he described as a wider failure in immigration and labour market policy.
He said: “Mass low-skilled migration from the third world has been a disaster. It has undermined social cohesion and costs taxpayers money. Now it turns out they are also keeping UK-born young people out of jobs as well.”
He added that low-wage migration and broader economic pressures were contributing to reduced opportunities for British school leavers, arguing that government policy needed to prioritise domestic employment.
However, economists and labour market specialists caution that migration patterns are often driven by structural shortages in sectors such as hospitality and care, where employers have historically struggled to recruit domestically.
The Migration Observatory data also highlights a shift in workforce composition since 2020. The number of non-EU workers in hospitality and retail has risen significantly, while employment among UK nationals in some of these sectors has fallen.
Separate analysis by the Centre for Social Justice suggests that non-EU workers have been recruited into entry-level roles at far higher rates than young British workers in recent years, particularly in hospitality and retail.
The think tank warned that some “starter roles” were becoming less accessible to school leavers, raising concerns about long-term skills development and early career pathways.
At the same time, official figures show nearly one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training, with forecasts suggesting that number could rise further if labour market conditions do not improve.
The Government has pointed to initiatives aimed at increasing youth employment, including partnerships with business leaders and targeted programmes designed to support young people into work.
Former Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland has been appointed to work with employers and the Department for Work and Pensions to improve youth employment outcomes through work experience and training schemes.
Meanwhile, public debate has intensified over how to balance immigration policy with domestic workforce development, particularly in sectors reliant on lower-paid labour.
The Migration Observatory has stressed that migrants are “overrepresented” in certain sectors but underrepresented in others, suggesting a complex pattern of labour demand rather than a single underlying cause.
As policymakers face pressure to address both skills shortages and youth unemployment, the tension between immigration and domestic workforce participation is likely to remain a central political issue.
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