The UK is expected to grant extraordinary status to European fibre engineers in a bid to entice them to work in the UK. They are needed for Project Gigabit and the recruitment of euro cablers has been sanctioned in the budget of the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme.

Recruitment from other EU countries is no longer an option but the government is considering a new scheme to offer special visas in exceptional cases. Spain and Portugal are talent targets as these respective nations have almost completed their fibre rollouts and may have engineers looking for new projects. According to ISP Review the UK government has consulted fibre operators about the problem and new PM Truss has pledged to build faster build faster by developing a fast-track scheme for foreign engineers. The move would be complemented by changes under their new Growth Plan 2022.

The telecoms industry in general faces a crippling skills shortage Colt GEO Keri Gilder told the telecom Forum in Copenhagen last week.

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