UK immigration minister Tony McNulty said the new workers were
„filling important vacancies, supporting the provision of public
services in communities across the UK and making a welcome contribution
to our economy and society”. download report>>
UK sees slow down in jobseekers from new Europe – 01.03.2006
About 346,000 jobseekers mainly from Poland, Lithuania and Slovakia
have come to Britain since the EU’s enlargement in 2004, a UK
government report published on Tuesday (28 February) reveals.
Download report UK Department for Work and Pensions: The impact of free movement of workers from Central and Eastern Europe on the UK labour market
But towards the end of last year, the initial surge in applications
from workers coming from central and eastern Europe had begun to
lessen, according to the study.
The paper also pointed out that there was „no discernible
statistical evidence” that migrant workers from these countries had
caused or contributed to the rise in social benefit claimants, recorded
in the UK last year.
„Overall, the economic impact of migration from the new EU member
states has been modest, but broadly positive,” the report states.
According to Home Office figures, some 5,000 accession country
workers had registered as bus, lorry and coach drivers between July
2004 and the end of last year. Another 9,300 had registered as care
workers; 1,200 as teachers, researchers and classroom assistants;
almost 500 as dental practitioners and more than 1,400 as GPs, hospital
doctors, nurses and other health specialists.
Polish workers accounted for 59 per cent of the applicants, Lithuanians another 13 per cent and Slovaks 11 per cent.
More than 80% of the newcomers are young, between 18 and 34, single,
and coming mainly from Poland (204,895), Lithuania (44,715) and
Slovakia (36,355).
They earn between £4.50 and £5.99 an hour.
UK immigration minister Tony McNulty said the new workers were
„filling important vacancies, supporting the provision of public
services in communities across the UK and making a welcome contribution
to our economy and society,” British papers report.
In public sector alone, about 9,300 workers from accession countries
registered as care workers, 5,000 as bus or lorry drivers, 1,400 as
medical specialists – doctors or nurses – and 1,200 as teachers or
other school staff, by the end of 2005.
Britain is one of three countries that opened its labour markets to
the new EU member states right after their EU entry in May 2004.
Spain, Portugal and Finland have announced they will follow suit,
while Belgium, Austria and Germany made clear they would prolong the
temporary work barriers for another three years.
Other countries are contemplating introducing more relaxed
conditions or opening up some sectors but keeping bans on more
sensitive ones, as hinted by France.
All „old” EU member states are due to report to the European
Commission by the end of April on their further plans towards workers
from eastern Europe.
Under EU law they are allowed to maintain barriers until 2011.
Source: euobserver
