British immigration concerns as Bulgaria join EU
Monday, January 01, 2007 12:29 [IST]
London: Romania and Bulgaria
joining the European Union on Monday has once again raised concerns over
unbridled immigration into Britain
and the impact it would have on immigrants from non-EU countries such as India.
Unlike the eight countries that joined the EU in 2004,
citizens of Romania and Bulgaria will not have unfettered right to
employment in Britain.
But already reports from Bulgaria
say that fake degrees are being sold to help Bulgarians find work in Britain.
Immigrants from India and other non-EU countries
anticipate a further tightening of rules.
The Home Office has
changed rules in the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) that are seen to
be restrictive to citizens of non-EU countries.
New tests and longer qualifying periods (4 to 5 years) have
been added to procedures for non-EU nationals in the UK for permanent settlement.
Millions of skilled migrants from India and other non-EU countries
are currently waiting for judicial outcome of the change in rules last April
that made it difficult for non-EU doctors to find employment in the National
Health Service.
The hearing of the judicial review sought by doctors of
Indian origin has been completed and the judgment is expected later this month.
Official sources say that the British employment market has
been vastly enhanced by the enlargement of the EU and the increase in the
number of trained British medical and other graduates. This has affected the
employment prospects of non-EU nationals.
Official figures have shown a much higher than earlier
anticipated number of immigrants from the countries joined the EU in 2004. This
has once again placed immigration on the public agenda - the only difference is
that the colour of concern has shifted from the earlier 'black or brown'
immigration to 'white' immigration from east European countries.
The concerns and fears currently expressed are similar to
the ones that were cited when many people from Asia and Africa and the
Caribbean islands migrated to Britain
in the 1960s and 1970s. Citizens of what are called Accession 8 (A8) countries that
joined the European Union (EU) on May 1, 2004, are eligible to work in Britain.
The eight countries are the Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Ireland, Sweden and Britain are the only countries that
have not imposed restrictions on citizens of the A8 countries on taking up
employment in these countries. Three more countries are expected to join the EU
in 2007: Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia.
The most famous example of change since the migration of
people from the A8 countries is what is called the phenomenon of 'Polish
plumbers' - plumbers from Poland
virtually taking over the plumbing industry.
Official records show that 230,000 Poles have registered to
live and work in Britain. The number of immigrants to Britain since the A8 countries
joined the EU is estimated at 600,000.
The British government's original prediction of immigration
from these countries was between 5,000 and 13,000 a year.
Ministers have expressed concern that the surge in
immigration from these countries would put enormous pressure on Britain's
education, health and welfare service. For example, thousands of English
language teachers would be required to teach the language to the children of
these new immigrants.
The Home Office report by Joan Ryan, junior immigration
minister - leaked to the media some time ago - reveals that government
departments have been ordered to draw up emergency plans to deal with pressure
on public services from an expected 'step change' in immigration levels from
Romania and Bulgaria.
"The report, called 'Migration from Eastern
Europe:Impact on Public Services and Community Cohesion', says
that eastern European patients are also already 'blocking' hospital beds
because they are ineligible for social care and benefits if they leave," it
claims.
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