BBC report says work visa applications will increase after recession
September 10 2009 by Mark Johnstone
BBC report on work visas
A report by the BBC World Service has concluded that the recession has resulted in fewer people moving abroad on work visas, although this number is expected to pick up again as the recovery sets in.
One of the report's most notable discoveries was that the number of Mexicans going to work in the US has fallen by 40 per cent. In addition, migration globally has fallen slightly in response to the downturn in the economy, with fewer people going to work in the US, the UK and Spain.
However, the study also found that people who have already moved to the US, Canada and many other countries have largely stayed put. The exception to this is among people who moved to the UK during the boom years from Eastern Europe. Many of these have returned home as the recession affected their home countries less severely. However, they are expected to return when the UK has recovered and can do so easily as they are part of the EU.
On the whole though, migrants have stayed in their host countries because the downturn has affected most nations and, as a result, they are often better off remaining where they are.
The BBC said that the study reveals the importance to the economy of people moving abroad on work permits and visas. It stated, ‘It is also very plain from the report that migration is an increasingly important part of the global economic landscape
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