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Packing up for home: Poles hit by UK's economic downturn
Elizabeth Hopkirk, Evening Standard20 Oct 2008
THOUSANDS of Poles who came to Britain seeking a better life are going home because the credit crunch has killed their jobs.
The number registered to work in Britain has fallen by 50,000 in three months, according to official figures.
Immigration minister Phil Woolas suggested double that figure had gone home disillusioned in recent months.
The financial meltdown in Britain has wiped out many of the well-paid jobs that Poles came here to find. Meanwhile, the Polish economy is growing and its banks are in good shape due to the country's stricter investment rules.
More than 550,000 Poles have come to Britain since their country joined the EU in 2004 but Mr Woolas said about 100,000 went home this year. The UK Border Agency later said this was an "off-the-cuff comment".
A spokesman added: "Our figures show that fewer Polish workers are coming here, and research suggests that half of those that came to the UK to work have now gone home."
Official figures show that in the three months to the start of autumn, the number of Poles registered to work here fell from 150,000 to 100,000. The number applying to work in Britain has also fallen. Robert Szaniawski, press attaché at the Polish Embassy in London, said that young people wanting to learn the language would still come here for a year or less, but economic migrants were dwindling.
He said: "The Polish economy is growing because the credit crunch didn't ravage the Polish banking system. Our regulations don't allow banks to involve people's money in such risky operations as banks in western Europe. There is a shortage of jobs in Britain but in Poland job prospects are better than two or three years ago."
However, he said Poland would eventually suffer knock-on effects of the credit crunch that could lead to a rise in migration again, though not at the same level as after 2004.
There are believed to be about 150,000 Poles in London. Many arrived after EU expansion but some families have been in the capital since the First and Second World Wars. Polish airmen joined the RAF and fought in the Battle of Britain. West London, especially Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, have large populations.
Reader views (10)
And why should a foreign worker support British citizens who prefer living on benefits to working? I work in a call-centre (debt collection) for the minimum wage and am studying at the same time. I am not entitled to any grants, but, was I unemployed, my education would have been free and then I would have had enough time to study. I like Britain, but I think its social system is abused by British citizens and immigrants alike.
- E. P., Manchester, UK, 02/11/2008 15:15
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David, seeing as you were given a British education your goals should have been higher than to just want to earn just above minimum wage!
Blaming others for the fact you were too lazy to study and now compete with low earners is not the fault of the Polish, it is your own fault.
- William Jenkins, London, UK., 21/10/2008 10:11
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"Immigration minister Phil Woolas suggested double that figure had gone home..." - So he hasn't got a clue who is in this country and who isn't then.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 21/10/2008 09:33
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Benefits should be earned not given to all, this would limit the number immigrants living here big time. Why should the tax payer support foreign immigrants?
- Brandon Thomas, London, UK., 21/10/2008 02:40
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"Good on them, but was it really regulations that stopped it or is it more that the Polish banking system being financed by the EU since joining"
Polish banking system is fully private and owned to high degree by the foreign/international banks. It has never received a penny from EU subsidies and grew quickly on healthy regulations. Poles have most likely the lowest rate of the mortgages in arrears currently in Europe, though there is a danger as almost half of the mortgages are taken out in Swiss franks. It is volatile to the currency exchange rate, but so far so good.
- Adas, Krakow, Poland, 20/10/2008 23:13
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Dear Bob,
Polish banks are doing fine because they do not offer obligatory credit cards to people who cannot pay them off. They also do not send letters to their customers enticing them to use their credit cards if there is no need. Polish banks issue credit cards as a reward to customers with good earnings and savings rather then those in debt already.
As a Pole I am proud of Polish people who work hard to earn their loyalty and money and are smart enough to save although we often earn less then the British and face discrimination.
I am sorry that you Bob are jealous about people who work hard to earn the minimum wage and budget their money carefully. Why don't you? I am also sorry that you are surrounded with people on high salaries and constantly in debt. How many people you know are in debt?
Living without debt is actually not that difficult but it takes the skill of not splashing out.
Hey, Steve, did you mean people like you? Because most poles have gone where hard work is valued.
- Marta, London, UK., 20/10/2008 23:05
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Perhaps now many have gone back I will be able to earn more then the minimum wage, rather then competing to see who can do the jobs for the least money!
- David, Isle of Wight, 20/10/2008 16:45
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"The Polish economy is growing because the credit crunch didn't ravage the Polish banking system."
Good on them, but was it really regulations that stopped it or is it more that the Polish banking system being financed by the EU since joining? Or the sheer volume of Poles working in other EU countries sending money back home buouying the economy?
- Bob, Cheam, 20/10/2008 15:38
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From what I can see the workers go back and the shirkers choose to stay.
And who can blame them?
- Steve, London, 20/10/2008 15:01
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There are a lot now turning up with children to live on benefits. So please less patronisation from Westminster. We the real people have to live with this Eastern European scorched earth policy of Nu-Lying-Labour. Stop housing benefit and give the tax payer a break!
- Mike, London, 20/10/2008 12:09
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