Poles Apart? EU Enlargement and the Labour Market Outcomes of Immigrants in the UK

31 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2006

See all articles by Stephen Drinkwater

Stephen Drinkwater

University of Surrey - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

John Eade

University of Roehampton

Michal Garapich

University of Surrey

Date Written: October 2006

Abstract

The UK was one of only three countries to allow migrants from accession countries to enter their labour markets more or less without restriction following EU enlargement in May 2004. Therefore, it is important to establish the characteristics and labour market performance of migrants from these countries who have subsequently entered the UK. We principally analyse Labour Force Survey data to compare the labour market outcomes of recent migrants from Poland and other accession countries to those of earlier migrant cohorts from these countries as well as to those of other recent migrants to the UK. We find that the majority of post-enlargement migrants from accession countries have found employment in low paying jobs, despite some (especially Poles) having relatively high levels of education. It follows that recent Polish migrants typically have lower returns to their education than other recent arrivals. Migrants from the new entrants who arrived immediately prior to enlargement possess similar characteristics and labour market outcomes, apart from having a higher propensity to be self-employed. These results are discussed in the context of policy changes, migration strategies, assimilation effects and possible impacts on the sending countries.

Keywords: migration, EU enlargement, labour market outcomes

JEL Classification: J61, F22

Suggested Citation

Drinkwater, Stephen and Eade, John and Garapich, Michal, Poles Apart? EU Enlargement and the Labour Market Outcomes of Immigrants in the UK (October 2006). IZA Discussion Paper No. 2410, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=944475 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.944475

Stephen Drinkwater (Contact Author)

University of Surrey - Department of Economics ( email )

Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

John Eade

University of Roehampton ( email )

80 Roehampton Lane
London, SW15 5SL
United Kingdom

Michal Garapich

University of Surrey ( email )

Guildford
Guildford, Surrey GU2 5XH
United Kingdom

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