Migration Effects in the United Kingdom - Essay Example

Migration effects in the United Kingdom Migration refers to the act of individuals moving from one location to another in the physical sense. The process may be forced, or one can choose to relocate willingly. Forced migration occurs when individuals have to relocate in a hurry due to a negative influence affecting their present location. These influences include war, hunger, or a disease outbreak. In willing migration, the individual seeks to move, mostly due to an attractive factor in his destination. These factors include greener pastures, education opportunities, and promises of plenty and riches. In the most basic sense, migration refers to the physical relocation of man, animals, and birds. Migration can happen either on a permanent, or on a temporary mode. In permanent migration, the relocation process is one way. This means that the individual is not planning to return to his previous abode forever. In temporary migration, an individual plans to get back to his previous location after some time, usually lasting between two to ten years. Immigration refers to the process of individuals flocking into a certain region ort country. Emigration refers to the act of people moving out of a certain country or region. This paper seeks to assess the migration issues in the United Kingdom, and the overall effects it has influenced in the country. In the last couple of years, immigration figures in the UK have drastically risen. This rise has heavily influenced the British citizens to generate a very negative view of foreign people in the country. However, economic researchers have come up with a less scathing perception of the influx of migrants into the nation. They have proposed that, though the rising trend’s effects on the fiscal position of the nation are a crucial matter of concern, the trends has only slightly affected the country’s local labor stage. In addition, the Home administration office of the country has grudgingly agreed that bit has lost its ability to monitor the figures of recent immigrants, which help them to formulate strategies to draw positive benefits from the influx (Parvati, 2008:103). In the period lasting from 1971 to 1986, the net value of immigration effects was of negative value to the nation. Intense research of the period’s happenings related to immigration revealed that from the year 1996, the net value of immigration to the country has consistently been of positive value to the country. In addition, since 1996, the overall immigration figures have rapidly increased to double the previous figures. The country’s Office of National Statistics has proven that, in the year 2004, the country experienced an unprecedented influx of immigrants, amounting to approximately 580,000 individuals. Furthermore, about 490,000 of the total people were not of British citizenship. The others consisted of British people who were previously staying abroad, and were now returning home (Taylor, 2009). The majority of the incoming foreigners were of Asian or African ascent. The total net figures of immigration continued to soar when the A8 states joined the EU, and their citizens thereafter got permits enabling them to work legally in England. By the end of the year 2004, the total migration number reached the 222,000 mark. This was a significant increase, compared to the previous mark of 150,000 in 2003. Analysts dedicated to the monitoring of immigration levels have revealed that, in the year 2004, close to 40% of the foreign employees in the country previously came from the A8 regions. Scrutiny has shown that the average age of the foreigners coming in to the country from the A8 regions is very young. The country’s Workers Registration Scheme has released results showing that document the fact that about 80% of them are aged between 18 and 34 years. In addition, more than half of the total immigrants are aged between 18 and 24 years. This factor is said to have influenced the current increase in the country among this age bracket. The economic position of the country is most likely the major factor influencing the recent hike in immigration figures. According to the current economic reports, there has been a rise in the registering of elderly workers. The reason behind this has been the recent lower projected pension figures and the raging anti age-discrimination law. In addition, the slight negative performance of the country’s fiscal situation in the year 2005 could also have catapulted this situation. The country’s economists have all agreed that the increased levels of immigration figures will have a great positive impact on the country’s economy, particularly in the industrial sector. The main reason behind their projection is that, currently, the average UK employee population is aging (Taylor, 2009). Therefore, they propose that the immigrants will help to fill the labor gaps that are bound to happen in most of the country’s production and services sector. In addition, they propose that the immigrants positively add towards the current pension troubles. This is in consideration of the maturing of the 1945 baby-boom pension age in the year 2006 (Parvati, 2008:138). Another factor supporting their proposal is the current acute shortage of skilled employees in crucial sectors in the country, which include the IT sector (Parvati, 2008:156). In addition, the current UK education system is becoming more advanced, and more easily accessible to most of the country’s population. As a result, the average British people are becoming more educated, and are easily gaining access to institutions of learning than before. This factor has elicited intense concern implying that most of the population will now tend to avoid certain jobs in the market, and, in particular, the unskilled labor job segment. Therefore, the economics propose that, if the immigrants continue to fill the gaps and offer intense competition for the unskilled labor job brackets, they will help in keeping the relevant wages at a considerably low level. This will result to an increase in the general demand for labor across the country (Taylor, 2009). This move is bound to have numerous positive gains. General investment and output rates will have an easy chance of rising. In addition, this move will help the current unemployment figures to stabilize, and, if extremely successful, lower them drastically. Furthermore, consumers across the country will be safe due to the subsequently expected lesser effects of the current fluctuation of the prices for goods and services. This is because when immigrant employees are involved in the production and consumption of goods and services, it results to greatly positive effects on the rates regarding inflation and interest. The bottom-line is that, with more people available for a country’s labor force, there is a potential increase in the levels of investing. In addition, the risk attached to outsourcing is greatly lessened. Furthermore, the recruiting of immigrants has some indirect advantages. This is because most of the foreigners exhibit a great inclination to send a big fraction of their total wages to their origin countries in order to try to improve the lives of their relatives (Parvaati, 2008:156). This action usually tends to influence a major modification in Britain’s monetary reaction chain. This is because of the fact that through doing this, the foreigners inadvertently increases net supply over demand. As a result, this significantly reduces the current inflationary pressure. Therefore, the Monetary Policy Committee is now able to sustain interest levels at a much lower minimum than was previously possible. Rising levels of immigration usually lead to overpopulation and other related problems. There is evidence of rising congestion in the country’s main transport sectors. In addition, there is a greater cry for housing than the supply can offer. This tends to influence the escalation of prices for housing and the real estate market in general. This potential effect tends to be exhibited on a certain area. This is because foreigners tend to look for housing amenities in the low cost, highly populated estates. In Britain, this effect is most evident in the general London and the South of England areas. This issue is attracting much concern because the current government immigration policies do not have the ability to document the actual number of immigrants in the country effectively. This has forced Britain’s administration to formulate radical preventive approaches (Taylor, 2009). These approaches have redefined the previous methods of dealing with the immigration problems. The government has proposed the setting up of abroad border checks. These checks are to help officials ensure that only those individuals with legal access to the country can progress to destinations within the country. The government has also activated plans that will help in fastening of the processes regarding the determination of asylum cases. Currently, asylum appeals take two months, down from the previous twenty-two months. The administration recognizes the necessity for immigration. However, it is relying on receiving skilled individuals who will help in sustaining the country’s economy (Parvati, 2008:179). In conclusion, immigration is vital to the UK economy. However, the government must take relevant steps to ensure that this is a success. It should update all relevant immigration systems to monitor the exact number of people coming into the country effectively. In addition, it should ensure only people possessing skills gain entry. Unskilled people tend to bog down the economy, as the country undergoes an additional cost in training them. Bibliography Parvati, R., 2008. Tracing an Indian Diaspora: Contexts, Memories, Representations. California: SAGE Publications India. Taylor, S. 2009. Making Social Lives. London: Open University. Read More