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

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AQA GCSE Human Geography Population Economic migration within the EU Case Study