The effect of EU Immigration on the UK

EU Immigration has always been the prime concern for people in the UK. There have been many views about EU Immigration. However, there is no strong evidence for how it has affected the UK.

Migration Advisory Committee has published a report to explain the effect of the European Economic Area (EEA) Immigration.  Let’s have a look at the key points.

•         The UK is now more European:

Back in 1990, there wasn't substantial concern about EU migration. Freedom of movement was already in place though. Things started changing when eastern and central European nations joined in 2004. From 2004 to 2017, the population from EEA rose from 1.5% to over 5%.

But things are changing again.

The rate of Immigration has gone down since the Brexit vote. Workers from the east now earn more at home than before.

•        EEA Immigrants possess more skills than the UK workers:

The most highly skilled EEA Immigrants to the UK are from France, Germany and Italy. These are all old member states. The report depicts that Immigrants from the new member states are better qualified. But they're not utilizing their skills to maximize their wages in the UK.

•        How much EU Immigrants earn:

EU Immigrants from the new member states earn less than those from the old ones. They even earn less than the UK workers. In the early days, this was not the case. Because they could earn much more than at home. However, the time has now changed. They get better wages in their own states.

•        EU Immigration can lead to new jobs:

Production of crops like asparagus, raspberries, cherries and strawberries has increased since 2004. New workers from the EEA have become available. Farmers have found new opportunities to expand. Because now a massive supply of cheap labor is available from those states. The UK workers don't want these jobs because of the lower wages and long working hours.

As reported by the BBC News, critics do not seem quite pleased with this change. They believe the country should invest more in productivity and technology. That would reduce the need for workers.

•       EU Immigration is not draining public services:

The report analyzed a number of public services, starting with health. It was found that EU Immigrants contribute more to social care than they use.

However, EU Immigration has increased house prices. It, in turn, increases the expense of others. Also, the Immigration rate is rising rapidly.

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