Immigration Solicitors

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that there were fewer workers from Bulgaria and Romania in the UK in the first quarter of 2014, compared with the first quarter of last year.

Border restrictions on Bulgaria and Romania were lifted from 1 January 2014, allowing workers from those countries free access to the EU jobs market, including Britain.

Some politicians predicted a huge influx of new workers coming to the UK as a result – claiming this would potentially displace British workers from the jobs market, as Eastern European workers are often willing to work longer hours for lower wages.

However, the anticipated deluge of new workers from Romania and Bulgaria failed to materialise after 1 January and new figures show that there are now 4,000 fewer workers from those EU member states in the UK than there were in the final quarter of 2013.

There are 140,000 workers from Bulgaria and Romania in Britain – with 28,000 of those arriving in the UK after March 2013, but before the border restrictions were lifted after December.

Many workers from Bulgaria and Romania work in service industries such as healthcare, retail and catering.

However, it is thought that some of the workers already in the UK when border restrictions were lifted were working in self-employment in jobs such as as taxi driving or running their own businesses.

Some migrants to the UK acquire an NI number and self-employed status by becoming Big Issue sellers, which is recognised by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Inland Revenue as self-employment.

Becoming self-employed as a Big Issue seller enables new migrants to go on to establish their own businesses or work in other businesses as a contractor, as well as applying for PAYE jobs.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander said the latest ONS figures that they “gave lie” to UKIP’s scaremongering over the number of Bulgarian and Romanian citizens who might arrive in the UK when the border restrictions were lifted.

“The very modest number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to work in Britain this year is in stark contrast to the inflammatory rhetoric of earlier this year,” he said.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage was accused of “stoking fears” among the public that once border restrictions were lifted on Bulgaria and Romania, Britain would face a deluge of new workers from those countries. UKIP added a digital clock to its website, counting down the days to 1 January 2014.

MigrationWatch has, however, stood by its estimate that 50,000 workers from Romania and Bulgaria would eventually make their way to the UK now that border restrictions have been lifted.

ONS figures also show that, since Polish workers first began to arrive in the UK in 2004, there has been a steadily influx of workers from Eastern European countries, including 74,000 in the first quarter of 2014 from all eight Eastern European countries. There are now more than 800,000 people from Eastern Europe working in Britain, with a 17% rise in the number of people from Eastern Europe coming to the UK to work in the last year.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Lawyers

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of immigration lawyers and can advise migrants to the UK on a wide range of matters, including citizenship and right to work in the UK.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading provider of Legal Aid services and can advise on asylum and asylum appeals, marriage in the UK, illegal entry to the UK, housing benefit and student visas.

For expert legal advice on immigration and asylum, contact Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers on 020 7923 4020.