Policy Network hold UK immigration seminar

In these hard times with unemployment on the rise and uncertainty about actual and future levels of immigration, Policy Network held a conference in London this week (July 7) aimed at helping policy-makers through the politics of UK immigration in times of economic turbulence.

The international thinktank launched research by migration expert Professor John Salt and colleagues Janet Dobson and Alan Latham from UCL. The paper analyses the latest data on UK immigration trends, and evidence from across Europe on how past recessions have affected migration flows. It also casts doubt on the widely held assumption that migrants return home when unemployment rises thereby freeing up jobs for the non-migrant population. It concludes that:

•  Migration flows are likely to remain more stable than most people think over the course of the current economic downturn.
•  In the past three recessions that have affected UK, inflows began to pick up quickly, before a noticeable improvement in the country’s employment situation.
•  While immigration has tended to fall and out-migration rise when unemployment increases, this pattern only lasts for a limited period.

The Policy Network seminar comes on the heels of the controversial figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), which appeared to show that UK-born workers were losing jobs more quickly than non-UK born workers. This week’s research paper by Professor Salt and his team raises urgent questions about the direction of migration flows during a recession, the lessons that UK can learn from the experience of other European countries, and the type of policies that government should formulate to ensure that migration works to the benefit of the economic recovery.

Accompanying the paper, a comment piece by Elena Jurado, head of research at Policy Network, highlights the need for policy-makers to take into account the implications of changing migration flows for the future of the UK economy. She argues that “migrant who work in the UK are not only here to stay, they have also become an indispensable part of the UK economy. Accepting this reality and ensuring that they are incorporated into the government’s economic recovery strategy will form an essential part of its success.”

The paper was launched and discussed at a seminar entitled “Tracking migration trends in Europe during recession and recovery”.

This event is part of a Policy Network project on “Managing migration in times of economic turbulence: charting a progressive policy response”, kindly supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust. The project aims to develop concrete policy proposals and political narratives that will help progressive governments and political parties navigate through the politics of migration in times of economic recession.

Policy Network is an international thinktank dedicated to promoting progressive policies and the renewal of social democracy. Policy Network facilitates the sharing of ideas and experiences among politicians, policymakers and experts on the centre-left.