Shall We Stay or Shall We Go? Re-migration trends among Britain’s immigrants
In this report ippr sets out to quantify and analyse re-migration from the United Kingdom, and to understand what motivates immigrants to leave. The phenomenon of re-migration – in other words the emigration of immigrants – has not, on the whole, been well documented or understood. But policymakers should care about re-migration and know more about those leaving.

more info at the ippr website

IPPR – the Institute for Public Policy Research – is a leftish-leaning  think tank with strong links to the British Labour Party.

The study found that less than two per cent of all social housing residents are people who have moved to Britain in the last five years and that nine out of ten people who live in social housing were born in the UK. It found no evidence to support the perception that new migrants are getting priority over UK born residents. Nor was there any evidence of abuse of the system, including ‘queue jumping’ or providing false information.

The report identifies a number of factors which could be contributing to these perceptions, including:

• The belief that privately owned flats in blocks which were previously social housing are still “owned by the council”
• New developments often include social housing as well as privately owned accommodation with little visual difference between the two
• The Borders Agency is using empty social housing to accommodate asylum seekers temporarily, which may be fuelling the idea that they are ‘queue jumping’
• Some ex-local authority, mixed-tenure housing association and key-worker homes have high numbers of residents from particular ethnic groups – for example hospital and care home workers;
• clusters of people of the same background living in a neighbourhood may serve to entrench beliefs about unfair advantages.

The reduction in the social housing stock as existing tenants exercise their right to buy; fewer new builds over the last few decade and the increase in the number of households in the UK, caused by greater life-expectancy, marital breakdown and to a lesser extent, immigration have all led to increased demand for social housing.

The report recommends that public concerns about the effects of migration on housing should be addressed by policy makers at a local level. It also suggests that more needs to be done to increase people’s understanding of entitlement to social housing, as the lack of transparency in the process may perpetuate the belief that the system itself is unfair.

For more information, and to download a copy of the Social housing allocation and immigrant communities report, go to the Equality and Human Rights Commission website

In June’s newsletter:

(1) Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill hits the Commons amid protests

(2) MRN releases Irregular Migration report in Parliament on 2nd June

(3) Immigration statistics show drop in A8 nationals coming to UK

(4) Court decision on the right of asylum seekers to work in the UK

(5) Concern about the tone of UKBA publicity materials

(6) Migrants and Climate Change: A Call to Action

(7) Reports and Research

(8) Upcoming Events

(9) Other Announcements

To read the full newsletter, please visit: http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/downloads/newsletters/MRN_Newsletter_Jun09.pdf

“It strikes me that too often we seek comfort in a Scottish consensus that we are all Jock Tamsons’s  bairns – citizens of a fair and equal nation. We like to think we are free of racism and other inequalities because we prefer that to the truth.  In order to live up to our own self image we have to make the sentiment of our songs real, and openly say ‘this Scotland is not good enough’ , and then work to make it better. Our welcome and behaviour towards newcomers is only the starting point.”

Morag Alexander, Scotland Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Equality and Human Rights Commission in Scotland issued a warning that a falling population and increasing racism and xenophobia mean Scotland may not be socially and economiccally “fit for purpose” in the near future.

At the launch of a discussion paper on Scotland’s future –‘Room to Manoeuvre – Options for Migration policy, by Dr Sarah Kyambi – the Commission highlighted worrying population projections and some stark facts from the most recent Social Attitudes Survey.

The discussion paper considers the immigration policy divergence between the Scotland and UK governments, and looks at decentralised, regional migration management systems in other countries. It can be downloaded from the EHRC website by clicking here.

In a press release issued today, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas was “delighted to announce keeping in place restrictions … which limit Eastern Europeans’ access to benefits.”

This means that people from eight European Union countries can (for a fee of £90) continue to excercise their rights as EU citizens to work and pay taxes in the UK, but, unlike UK citizens working in Europe, will have no right to state assistance should they need it.

So the worker who loses his job may become homeless and destitute, with no housing benefit of homeless assistance while he looks for work. And the woman with a violent partner may find no sanctuary. These are just two of the examples highlighted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commision in it’s evidence to the Migration Advisory Committee, calling for the WRS to be scrapped.

The UK will become one of only five of the 27 EU member states to keep restrictions on the rights of “A8” nationals, those citizens of the countries which joined the European Union in 2004 (the other countries with restrictions are Denmark, Belgium, Austria and Germany).

The MP for Glasgow South West has submitted a written question as to the future of the WRS, on behalf of a Glasgow Polish residents association. We await a response from the Minister.

Meanwhile, the Lords have been asking questions, amid evidence that the scheme leads to human rights abuses. From Hansard, 31 Mar 2009:

Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend the Worker Registration Scheme beyond 30 April. The response, from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, was that

No decision has yet been taken on whether to continue the Worker Registration Scheme beyond the end of April 2009.

Lord Robert’s question was in relation to evidence submitted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on the Worker Registration Scheme. They have added their name to the growing numbers calling for its abolition.

NIHRC Chief Commissioner Monica McWilliams commented:

“The Human Rights Commission has found that its effects can lead to violations of the right to life and the right to be free from inhuman and degrading treatment. The Worker Registration Scheme is due to end and the Commission urges government not to extend it.”

The Commission has found examples of human rights abuses which are a direct result of the scheme, including victims of domestic violence being prevented from accessing accommodation and benefits. In such cases women are being forced to choose between extreme poverty and remaining in potentially deadly relationships. The Commission has also encountered a number of people forced to sleep rough on the streets of Northern Ireland having being denied access to temporary accommodation.

NI Human Rights Commission Recommendations:

Main recommendation:

The Commission recommends that the Worker Registration Scheme is discontinued in its entirety.

Further Recommendations:

In the event that the scheme is continued, the Commission recommends the following:

1. The government’s administration of the scheme should consider compassionate grounds to allow those people at risk of destitution to access support.

2. The government must allow victims of domestic violence access to the services they desperately need to ensure their protection and safety.

3. The government should carefully review existing interagency information sharing protocols to prevent access to support being denied.

4. The government should ensure that all employers are clearly aware of their obligations under the scheme and are in a position to assist their employees with the process.

5. The government should effectively make use of available sanctions for those employers who ignore their obligations under the scheme and seek to exploit their employees.

6. Registration of a change of employment should not be a requirement of the Worker Registration Scheme.

7. The government must lower the fee (currently £90) attributed to the Worker Registration Scheme with a view to phasing out the fee in line with the end of the scheme.

8. The government should take all necessary measures to ensure that guides for migrant workers, outlining their rights, can be reproduced and disseminated, at all appropriate points throughout the UK, for workers, voluntary organisations, employers and government service providers.

9. The government should ensure that information is available to migrants before they arrive in the UK by arranging for the dissemination of guides in co-operation with the countries of origin.

download the Commission’s report here (pdf)

previously on Migrant InfoSource…

In May last year, an alliance of employers, unions and others claim the Scheme had outlived its usefulness and was producing inadequate statistics, at great cost to migrant workers and inconvenience to both them and their employers.

The TUC’s Commision on Vulnerable Employment had previously highlighted the WRS as contributing to the vulnerable exploitation of migrant workers, with restricted access to support forcing huge numbers into vulnerable employment – “trapped in a continual round of low-paid and insecure work where mistreatment is the norm”.

Door Step Equal Access is a unique multimedia project with a  participative approach to the development and delivery of information, advice and support services.

Paula’s Story is a short drama researched, written, acted in and filmed by the  five refugees who took part in the Door Step project in Glasgow, Scotland. It tells the story of the challenges facing a refugee family moving on from asylum support and trying to find a secure home.

The film is designed as an aid to advice work, and for training and awareness-raising. The DVD is accompanied by a User Guide which provides background information, highlights key issues and includes a checklist for advisers at each stage.

The DVD (in English, Arabic and French) and the User Guide are available free of charge from PATH Scotland, or can be downloaded from the Door Step website at:

www.door-step.net

As May Day approaches, that old post has been getting more and more hits;  presumably people are searching the web trying to find out if the WRS really is about to end. Is it worth paying £90 to register your employment for a couple of months?  That was the question a settled Polish worker asked of me the other day, in regard to his recently arrived son (adding that many people don’t bother registering these days anyway).

No one seems to know for sure if the WRS will end on May 1st. You can vote on what you think will happen in our wee poll at the end of this message, but first…

To recap…

One of the pillars of the European Union is the freedom of movement of workers. But when new countries join the EU, the existing members are allowed to derogate from this, and temporarily restrict access to their labour market for nationals of the new member states. <Click here for a European Commission background summary (pdf)>

When ten countries joined the EU in 2004, the UK was one of three “old EU” members states to place no restrictions on access to the domestic labour market (the other two were Ireland and Sweden). Most of the other old EU states have now removed their restrictions too – only Denmark, Belgium, Austria and Germany retain barriers.

Instead of restrictions, the UK government introduced a mandatory “light touch” registration scheme to monitor numbers of workers from eight of the ten new states – the Worker Registration Scheme for the A8 accession state nationals. Until you have worked for 12 months without a break, you will only qualify as a worker (which confers the “right to reside” and thus the right to state support like public housing and welfare benefits) while registered on the WRS. After the 12 months, you have equal rights with other European residents (although you may have trouble persuading a housing authority or benefits assessor)

As far as I can see, the WRS legislation only covers the defined accession period, which ends at midnight on 30 April 2009. Which would mean that from 1 May,  A8 nationals will no longer need to register in order to qualify as a worker under EU law. (in fact, as the requirement is to register within 28 days, you could set the date at 3 April). After this time, like other European nationals, to have worker status (and access to state support should you need it) you just need to be a worker (or in some cases have been a worker).

Member states can apply to the European Commission to extend their restrictions for up to 2 more years if they can demonstrate a “serious disturbance of it’s labour market or a threat of such a disturbance”.  But the UK has never introduced any restrictions, and the European Commission has found no evidence of any such disturbances in Europe caused by movement of A8 workers.

I suppose it could be argued that as the WRS is not a transitional restriction, then it can be retained without applying to the EC. But at the end of the this transitional phase, could it really be argued to be necessary? Or could it be seen as discriminatory?

Remember, although described as merely a monitoring mechanism, the WRS does present a barrier to employment (you have to pay £90 for your job to be legal) and to state support (no council housing, homeless assistance or unemployment benefits if you lose your job before 12 uninterrupted months of registered employment).

But the the EC treaty states:

Free movement of workers precludes Member States from directly or indirectly discriminating against EU workers and their families on the basis of nationality in employment related matters. It also ensures equal treatment as regards public housing, tax advantages and social advantages.

So what will happen for migrant workers’ rights on May Day?

The Economic Impacts of Migration on the UK Labour Market study is based largely on data from the Labour Force Survey and Department for Work and Pensions figures on national insurance numbers from 2001 to 2007, as well as a review of the existing literature and economic theory.The report covers the period prior to the recent downturn in the UK economy and the authors say that, should the recession turn out to be as bad as the mot pessimistic predictions, any impacts of migration on employment will be miniscule in the grand scheme of things.

The effects of migration in both the short and long run are too complex for economic theory to deliver exact predictions about its impacts on employment and wages. However, the best previous evidence suggests that the overall effects of migration on wages are either insignificantly different from zero, or slightly positive. The evidence base on the effects of migration on employment in the UK, though relatively thin, suggests that the effects are not significantly different from zero. All effects noted are very small.        IPPR press release

At the Heart of Migrants Rights News are the campaigns and strategies being developed by migrants to consolidate their position in British society. We focus on activities that extend the scope of the human, economic and social rights which apply to migrants’ circumstances.

February 2009 MRN newsletter:

(1) Tough new ‘Earned Citizenship’ regime looms as Immigration Bill released
A new year, a tough, new ‘path to citizenship’…? The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, introduced into Parliament this January, contains provisions which would revamp the naturalisation process in the UK. Contents of this Bill aim to ‘fast-track’ key aspects of the draft (partial) ‘Simplification Bill’ – a major, and controversial, Home Office project from 2008. Release of the ‘Simplification Bill’, aimed at replacing all immigration legislation from the 1971 Immigration Act, has now been postponed until autumn 2009.

(2) “British Jobs for British Workers” – what impact on migrants?
– a blog from MRN Director, Don Flynn
The conclusion of the week-long strike at the Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR) in North Lincolnshire at the beginning of February raises important concerns about the position of migrant workers in the UK labour force.

(3) Challenges for the 2009 Czech EU Presidency
As immigration issues continue to occupy the headlines across Europe, the Czech Republic looks set to have a tumultuous time during its 6-month Presidency of the European Union (EU). It will follow the no-holds-barred leadership of the French Presidency under Nicholas Sarkozy – which led EU member states to sign up to the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum and further the development of common – and in many cases controversial – policies on immigration and asylum.

(4) Woolas throws down the gauntlet to the Geneva Conventions
Immigration minister Phil Woolas caused a stir in January when he told BBC Radio 4’s Beyond Westminster programme that the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (referred to as ‘the Geneva Convention’) may be limited in dealing with the practical realities of asylum in the contemporary world.

(5) Schools and universities set to take on immigration duties under Tier 4
Despite concerns among many academics and teaching staff, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) is continuing to lay the foundations for the next stage of the new Points-Based System for foreign work and study in the UK. ‘Tier 4’, the system by which people can apply to study in the UK, is due to come into force at the end of March 2009.

(6) Reports and Research

• Detained Lives: the real cost of indefinite immigration detention, London Detainee Support Group (LDSG), January 2009
• Undocumented Children in Europe: Invisible Victims of Immigration Restrictions, The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), January 2009
• Rethinking migration: Work and welfare in a mobile economy, Elena Jurado & Annie Bruzzone, Policy Network, January 2009

Three reports commissioned by Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI)

• New Migration, Equality and Integration
• Investigating the Role of Employment Agencies in the Recruitment and Employment of Migrant Workers
• We asked for Workers but Human Beings Came

(7) Upcoming Events

(8) Other Announcements

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To read the full newsletter, visit the Migrants’ Rights Network website