HOSTILITY TOWARDS EASTERN EUROPEAN (EE) IMMIGRANTS IN THE UK FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES - Essay Example

Hostility towards Eastern European (EE) Immigrants in the UK from Different Perspectives al Affiliation The opening of the labormarket to allow workers from other countries to come to the UK has received a lot of attention (Portes, 2013). Focus has been on the negative side of the move. Some stakeholders say that it is a topic which is just being blown out of proportion since it has resulted in a lot of economic benefits. Robila (2013), states that the supporters of the move are being blind to the economic, social and political ills of immigration.

Since the opening, UK cities and towns have witnessed an influx of workers from Eastern Europe. Census reports between 2001 and 2011 indicate that the UK population was growing fast (Riley-Smith, 2013). Seventy percent of the increase in these ten years is attributed to immigration. About half of the foreigners come from Eastern Europe with Romania and Bulgaria having the highest number (Autonomous Nonprofit Organization, 2013). In the year 2012, reports published by Migration Watch showed about 80,000 people have been crossing the UK borders annually in search of better employment opportunities (Doyle & Chapman, 2014).

This is a population which is roughly the size of the Borough of Tower of Hamlets. Immigrants continue to queue at the airports to get access into the country. Based on these trends and numbers, it is anticipated that more people, including those without work permits, will flock the country. Riley-Smith (2013) says that majority of these individuals are attracted by the prospects of getting better pay than what they used to get in their motherland. A foreigner working in the UK is able to get about four or five times what they were earning in their countries even at the minimum UK wage (Robila, 2013).

Some stakeholders have raised the concern as people coming from Eastern Europe have lower employment rates in Britain. A clear look at the unemployment data reveals that this is an over magnified phenomenon. It is true that some foreigners find it had getting jobs in the UK (Riley-Smith, 2013). However most of them are those who lack work permits or are in the country illegally. According to Portes (2013), some UK leaders have called for the eventual restriction of ability of migrants moving to the country.

Such stands are influenced by the mounting fear that the increase in the number of foreigners is limiting employment opportunities for the British citizens. This is a valid stand when one looks at the employment statistics of the skilled workers coming to the UK from East Europe. Majority of the immigrants are young and active than the average British workers. As a result, employers prefer them over the locals. This trend has resulted in Eastern Europe countries having many citizens working in the UK.

Hungary for example has about 300,000 citizens in the UK workforce (Doyle & Chapman, 2014). Romania and Bulgaria are said to have even higher numbers. The figures would not be high if they had low employment rates. These workers are able to contribute more taxes and spend more compared to the social benefits that they enjoy working in a foreign land.References ListAutonomous Nonprofit Organization 2013, East European migrants contribute $40bn to UK economy, study finds. Available from [Accessed 25 January 2015]Doyle, J.

& Chapman, J 2014, ‘The truth about East European migration: One in 30 Latvians are living in Britain, one in 60 Poles are also over here - and statistics dont even show latest influx’, The Daily Mail, 20 November. Available from [Accessed 25 January 2015]Portes, J.2013, ‘Should Britain fear a surge of east European migrants?’ The Guardian, 21 December, Available from [Accessed 25 January 2015].Riley-Smith, B 2013, ‘Eastern European immigrants overwhelming benefit UK economy’, The Telegraph, 29 November, Available from [Accessed 25 January 2015]Robila, M 2013, Eastern European Immigrant Families, Routledge, London.