Immigrants ‘more than an economic resource’
Immigrants should be seen as more than simply an economic resource, new research suggests.
Social policy research charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) today released the findings of three major reports into immigration to the UK.
The reports find a lack of practical information on arrival leaves many migrants unaware of the conditions attached to their immigration status, access to health care, or advice on their rights at work.
Immigrants tended to be in the UK to work, and while they had found jobs these were typically low paid with limited occupational mobility.
But only a minority of immigrants from eastern Europe felt they belonged to their neighbourhood, with long working hours, accessibility and cost preventing many from taking English classes. Low pay and long hours also had a “significant impact on their lives beyond the workplace”.
And deprivation and disadvantage were key in neighbourhood relationships, with racial tensions often driven by struggles for employment and housing.
“These … reports suggest that the government should value migrants as more than simply an economic resource and must continue to place importance on ensuring their integration into wider British society, even when their stay is expected to be temporary,” said JRF director Julia Unwin.
The foundation suggested the government should look into the best way to provide new migrants with practical information; accommodation in the context of wider strategies on affordable housing; remove barriers to English classes; and work on the relationship between migrants and other members of the public.
A Home Office spokesman told politics.co.uk: “The government supports legal migration to the UK, which has been of great benefit to the economy with skilled migrants filling gaps in our labour market.”
He added there are “legitimate concerns” about managing some of the effects of migration.
“The government is listening to these concerns. That is why it has taken a more gradual approach to opening the UK’s labour market to people from Bulgaria and Romania by maintaining restrictions and introducing quotas on low skilled jobs.”
Other initiatives include the establishment of the migration advisory committee and the migration impacts forum to examine the social and economic impact of migration.
He said the Home Office was acting to improve information.
“Before Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU, the government worked with the International Organisation for Migration to set up an information campaign including overseas drop in centres, a telephone hotline and a website and leaflets in Bulgarian and Romanian to ensure that the right messages were conveyed overseas to those considering coming to the UK to work – that they needed a work permit before they came here, and emphasising the realities of life in the UK – in particular misconceptions about access to benefits,” the spokesman explained.
