Migration to the UK from Eastern Europe - Coursework Example

Migration to the U.K. from eastern Europe Introduction: Since 2004, when eight East European countries joined the European Commonwealth, there has been an influx of migrants from these countries into the United Kingdom, who are eager of the right to move freely throughout UK and avail of work opportunities. This has proved to be a largely beneficial trend, since these workers have helped to fill labor and skills shortages and contributed to the growth of the UK economy. Migration from A8 countries: According to Moch, migration patterns in Europe during the years from the end of the Napoleonic wars to the outbreak of the First World War were dominated by industrialization and urbanization, so that there was a growing visibility of women in the migration streams, with the European population “free, urbanized and proletarian.” (Moch, p 160). The result was an international labor force that easily crossed national boundaries, but this trend was reversed during the years of the two world wars. The recent decades however are significant because they have been characterized by a resumption of European migration and this revival is notable because of the origin of the migrants – from southern Europe, the Mediterranean basin and the colonies of Europe, with the destination European states like the UK playing an active role in the regulation of these migrants. Blanchflower et al (2007:4) have pointed out that the UK population growth over the period 1971 to 1999 was 2.8 million or 4.9%, but the rate of growth has been faster since the turn of the millennium, with the major reason for this growth being the rise in net inward migration from the eight A8 East European countries. On May 1, 2004 ten new countries of east Europe joined the European Union – Cyprus, the Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia – and as a result, gained the rights to work and to free movement throughout the EU.(NSCD Report, 2006:11). However, among the 15 members of the European Union, it was only the UK that allowed individuals from the A8 countries to work within its borders since 2004, albeit with restricted access to benefits, through the Worker Registration Scheme. Portugal, Finland and Greece have allowed access of A8 individuals to their labor markets since April 2006. (NSCD Report, 2006:11). According to Drinkwater (2006), the lower the GDP of the country in question, the greater has been the tendency of individuals from that country to migrate to the UK; for example the greatest number of migrant workers are from Poland which has high rates of unemployment and Lithuania, which has the second lowest level of income of per capita income of the A8 countries. Evidence available on the basis of the Worker Registration Scheme and the National Insurance Number applications suggest that the number of migrants who have come into the UK from east Europe between May 2004 and late 2006 is about 500,000; this appears to have been a favorable trend in that it has improved the workings of the labor market by lowering the natural rate of unemployment, and also reducing wage and inflationary pressures.(Blanchflower et al, 2007:4). However, such figures are not a measure of long term migration, since many individuals do not settle permanently in the UK; they work for a while and then return to their own countries. Eleonore Kofman (2000) examines the reasons for the invisibility of skilled female migrants in studies that have been presented on migration in Europe. She offers the view that it is the choice of research agendas that renders women largely invisible; for instance most research focuses on migration among transnational corporations, where the top echelon in particular, remains male dominated. However, research on sectors such as education, health and social services, where there is a greater proportion of women, has been substantially ignored by migration researchers. Feminist research on the other hand, generally tends to focus on unskilled migration as opposed to skilled migration. The decision made by the UK Government to allow migration and access to work for individuals from A8 countries is based upon the potential benefits that are estimated for the UK economy. The free movement of labor allows labor resources to flow into those areas where they can be most productively used, since the availability of labor mobility contributes to an increase in GDP by reducing mismatch unemployment and allowing for sustained growth.(www. hm-treasury.gov.uk). Research conducted by the Home Office appears to indicate that migrants increase the productivity of non-migrant workers and that an increase in migration of 1% leads to an increase of 2% in non migrant wages, so that foreign workers contribute to 10% of the GDP, thus accounting for about 15% of overall growth in the UK economy. Especially in the area of highly skilled migration, there are huge benefits to the UK economy, because foreign workers not only earn more than their UK counterparts, but also tend to be more innovative and entrepreneurial.(www.hm-treasury.gov.uk) Where low skilled labor is concerned, the question of language of the migrants becomes an issue, however migrants from east European countries are familiar with English which helps them to integrate well into the UK economy and contribute to its growth. However, as Sonwalker(2007) reports, the new wave of immigration is being opposed to native British people because the East European immigrants are more skilled and earn more on a weekly basis, while there is also pressure on housing, education, health and safety. Yet his report also points out the benefits to the British economy, especially since an effort is being made to admit only those individuals who can make a skilled contribution to the UK economy. In a report on the impact of migration from the A8 countries into the UK, it has been argued that recent trends in migration have had a significant impact at the regional and sectoral levels, where foreign workers have filled the skills gaps and have helped to arrest the decline in population in these regions.(Economic Outlook, 2006). Why are migrants needed when so many indigenous Britons are out of work? Wild (2007) answers this question by pointing out how the influx of migrants has helped to revive the economies of the north eastern regions such as Cumbria and Yorkshire, including instances of self employed people such as a polish plumber. The key to future economic growth in these regions is in attracting skilled migrants in order to improve these areas and create new jobs over the next ten years in order to attract more people to live in the region. A report from the Commons trade and industry selection committee has also concluded that migration from the A8 countries has been largely beneficial to Britain because it has helped to address the labor and skills shortages; however the report also points out that there are significant business opportunities for UK firms from migrants returning to their home countries.(www.uk.news.yahoo.com). Ryan (2005) highlights the potential benefits of migration into the UK, in that it provides economic, social, cultural and humanitarian benefits apart from enhancing international relations. However, such benefits are seen to accrue only through the admission of skilled migrants, as a result of which inward migration has been carefully regulated through the worker registration schemes. The benefits to Britain notwithstanding, arguments have been offered against the policy of placing restrictions on migrants’ right to work within the country (www.ein.org.uk). Grounds offered for such restrictions are based on the fact that migration has significant economic costs and administration of immigration control involves additional costs. It has been argued that restricting migrant rights by not allowing them to change employers or curtail low skilled migration seriously interferes with the rights that should be accorded to migrant workers under the employment law provisions in the UK(www.ein.org.uk). Conclusions: On the basis of the above, the migration of workers from A8 countries has been beneficial to the United Kingdom in helping to address skills and labor shortages. Since these migrants are more skilled and also speak English, they are able to earn higher wages than indigenous Britons. The migration of self employed persons in particular has made a sizable contribution to the UK economy. However, there has also been a strain placed on housing, education, health and security, along with the additional costs to Government arising out of regulating and managing migration. Some have argued that migrant worker rights must also be addressed, while migration has been opposed by some when indigenous Britons are still unemployed. On an overall basis however, migration appears to have been beneficial to the UK economy, although much more needs to be done to make business aware of the opportunities available to them in the A8 countries through migrant workers returning to their homes. References: * Blanchflower, David G, Saleheen, Jumana and Shadforth, Chris, 2007. “The impact of the recent migration from Eastern Europe on the UK Economy.” * Drinkwater, Stephen, 2006. “ New Migration to the UK” Economic review, Retrieved October 28, 2007 from: http://www.philipallan.co.uk/images/201-T2.pdf * Extract of information contained in a Foreign and Commonwealth office document held by HM Treasury, received by HM Treasury 12 July 2004.” Retrieved October 27, 2007 from: http://hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/F/4/A8_Migrants_FCO_extract.pdf * “ Firms urged to make most of EU enlargement”, Retrieved October 28, 2007 from: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/epolitix/20071018/tpl-firms-urged-to-make-most-of-eu-enlar-0a1c1a1_1.html * Kofman, Eleonore, 2000. “The invisibility of skilled female migrants and gender relations in studies of skilled migration in Europe”, International Journal of Population Geography, 6(1): 45-59 * Moch, Leslie, 2003. “Moving Europeans: Migration in western Europe since 1650”, Indiana University Press * National Statistics Center for Demography report, 2006. “Estimating International Migration for population estimates – an information paper.” Retrieved October 27, 2007 from: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files/uk-international-migration-paper.pdf * Ryan, Bernard, 2005. “Labor Migration and employment rights” Institute of Employment Rights, ISBN 0 9547562 4 X * “Response to Ryan’s report”. Institute of Employment Rights. Retrieved October 28, 2007 from:http://www.ein.org.uk/resources/Managed%20Migration%20Consultation% 20Response.doc * Sonwalkar, Prasun, 2007. “White immigration into Britain makes many see red”, India e-news, retrieved October 28, 2007 from: http://www.indiaenews.com/america/20071017/75633.htm * “The Economic impact of international migration within the UK economy”, Economic Outlook, 30(4): 21-26 * Wild, Michael, 2007. “BBC News/Politics show” Retrieved October 28, 2007 from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/programmes/politics_show/6660723.stm Read More