Economic migrates in the EU (Poland to UK migration)

Economic migrants in the EU from Poland to the UK

 

There are 600,000 Polish people living in the UK

 

Push factors (from Poland)

·         Average unemployment 18.5%

·         Youth unemployment 40%

·         Wages 1/3 of EU average

·         Housing shortages 300 dwellings to 1,000 people

Pull factors (to UK)

·         Unemployment only 5.1%

·         High demand for semi-skilled labour (e.g plumbers)

·         600,000 job vacancies

·         Good exchange rate (sending a few pounds home would have a big impact)

Positive impacts on the host country (UK)

·         £2.5 billion contributed to the economy

·         Between 0.5% and 1% of UK growth in 2006 was due to immigrant labour

·         80% of immigrants are under 35- their national insurance payments help to cater for ageing population’s pensions

·         They fill a skills gap (e.g plumbers) but this was largely low paid work

Negative impacts on the host country (UK)

·         Tensions in areas that haven’t previously experienced large scale immigration

·         Possible stress on NHS

·         High proportion of the wages are being sent back to family in Poland rather than spent in UK economy

·         Higher demand for housing = higher prices

Positive impacts for source country (Poland)

·         Injection of foreign cash (about £3 billion in 2006)

·         Less pressure on resources (e.g schools, hospitals)

·         Incentivised improvements to living standards

Negative impacts for source country (Poland)

·         Brain drain of skilled workers emigrating

·         Shortage of workers

·         Ageing population