“The expansion of the EU is one reason more people are trying to come and work in Great Britain. But the increase in migrant workers has not led to wages being forced downwards.” So says Laura Chapell, investigator at the British think-tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
The major proportion of immigration to Great Britain is workforce immigration and is a direct result of EU expansion. Net immigration, i.e. immigration minus immigration, is currently around 200,000 people per year in Britain. These statistics are presented by Laura Chapell, investigator at the British think-tank, the Institute for Public policy Research (IPPR).
According to Laura, the increase in workforce immigration has affected the country’s political agenda.
“ I would like to contend that migration coupled with the fight against terrorism are the two major media issues.”
According to Laura, increasing demands are being made for control and restriction of the workforce. This, despite the fact there is no evidence for the increase in migrant workers having led to wages being forced downwards. Nor is there anything to indicate that the increased number of workforce immigrants has caused increased unemployment.
“On the contrary, many migrant workers play a vital role in making British society function. There are many migrants within healthcare and service industries and also many who are filling gaps in the private sector.
One suggestion is that all migrant workers should be made to always carry an ID card. But this proposal has met with stiff domestic resistance. There are no civil registration numbers in Great Britain and the British are touchy about increased personal restriction.
Neither has Great Britain signed up to an open labour market for citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, despite these countries having joined the EU. If people from these countries want to work in Britain, they must therefore apply for permission.
Laura gives statistics on what wages employees with foreign citizenship get in Great Britain. The information shows wages in relation to British average wages. At the top are the Swedes, who earned 5% below the British average wage. At the bottom are migrants from some of the world’s poorest countries. On average, workforce immigrants from Bangladesh earn 65% below the British average wage.
“Another pattern is that the shorter the time the workforce immigrants have lived in Great Britain, the lower the wages.”
Laura mentioned some of the major challenges for the future. In particular, she emphasises the fact that working conditions for migrant workers with low-level education must be improved.
“We must get better at involving migrant workers in union work. Another key area is to more effectively prevent discrimination. Overall, we must do more for people living in Great Britain and not just mind our borders,” concludes Laura.
(For more information on IPPR, see www.ippr.org.)
MATS WINGBORG
Download Laura Chapell’s statistics (PowerPoint):