PrintEEDA recently commissioned Philippe Legrain, critically acclaimed writer and consultant on globalisation and migration, to write an essay, 'Why the East of England needs migrant workers - and what it must do to make the most of them'. Here Philippe gives a summary of his main themes:
"The East of England has received more East European migrant workers in recent years than any other region in Britain. They do much-needed jobs for local businesses and provide vital public services, and thus help raise everyone’s living standards. Inevitably, this has caused some local strains - not least because the public sector often struggles to respond quickly to cope with communities' changing needs. Yet the challenge for the region may soon be very different: how to cope without the Polish workers on whom it has come to rely. That is why the East of England Development Agency has commissioned a study from ippr to look at the risks to the region.
In the first three months of this year, nearly 30% fewer East European migrants registered to work in the region than in the third quarter of 2007. As the pound plunges - it buys around 25% fewer Polish zlotys than a year ago - while Poland's economy booms, many migrant workers are seeking more attractive opportunities elsewhere. The public may soon be asking "where have all the Poles gone?" - and lamenting their departure.
Local businesses and public services that rely on migrant workers need to start thinking about how to attract and retain the staff they need. They may have to offer more attractive wages and working conditions. That is trickiest for the public sector, where wages and budgets are highly inflexible. But if the region cannot attract the workers it needs, businesses may be forced to close or relocate, while public services may suffer crippling shortages."
Click here to download the full essay
This think piece (and associated essay) was commissioned by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). All opinions expressed belong to the individual author and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of EEDA or associated bodies.