Economic migrates in the EU (Poland to UK migration)

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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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