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| Britain |
| British brain drain |
| 2007-04-08 |
| International migration is eroding Britain's skills base with an exodus of professionals matching the arrival of low-skilled foreign migrants, the Government is to be warned. The number of Britons emigrating has jumped in recent years, with a growing proportion leaving professional or managerial jobs to work overseas. By contrast, the number of immigrant workers - many of them manual workers - has risen sharply. According to Professor John Salt of University College London, an expert on migration and an adviser to the OECD and the European Union, the evidence suggests that migration flows are tending towards a de-skilling of the UK labour market, which is gaining manual and clerical workers but losing professionals and managers. Until recently, business leaders were broadly supportive of the Government's position on migration. However, a report last month by the British Chambers of Commerce revealed that seven out of ten of its members are now opposed to unchecked immigration. Between 2000 and 2005, a net total of 272,000 Britons emigrated, while a net total of 639,000 non-Britons moved to the UK. Findings from the Government's international passenger survey, cited by Prof Salt, show that in 2005, 34 per cent of immigrants were professionals or managers before entering Britain, 29 per cent were in lower-grade jobs while 37 per cent were not in work. By contrast, 42 per cent of emigrants were professionals or managers, 25 per cent were in other jobs and 33 per cent were not in work - often because they were retired. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #7 I've read blogs by people from Britain's most recent class of graduating doctors. The matchmaking scheme to connect them to jobs is quite Orwellian. A lot of them are considering emigrating. I'll have to find the link; it was featured on a recent "Grand Rounds" blog carnival. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2007-04-08 21:15 |
| #6 "Not in work" may also mean housewives and elderly parents, Elmereter Hupash6222. But likely it means at least some came straight from the madrassah to Heathrow airport... where they signed up for resettlement funds, funds for training so that they'll be able to get a proper job, support for the wife and children and elderly parents, housing assistance... Whereas those emigres "not in work" are retired, so their government pensions go directly to supporting the economy of their new host country. Once again the British pound (or perhaps it's the euro now?) is helping support the world's economy. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-04-08 20:38 |
| #5 EH6222, "Does that mean ... bumpkins?" Yes. "Please tell me it isn't so." Wish I could. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-04-08 20:15 |
| #4 37 per cent were not in work??? Does that mean 37 percent of the immigrants don't work? Does that mean they're gonna go immediately on the dole? Are the Brits insane? Does that mean the educated, intelligent Britons are leaving because their country is being overrun with low-class, low-skilled islamic bumpkins? Please tell me it isn't so. |
| Posted by: Elmereter Hupash6222 2007-04-08 20:10 |
| #3 Not counting the tax evading 'artists' who take up residency in the Netherlands. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-04-08 19:52 |
| #2 Getting out while they still can. Sad, really, what has happened to Britain just in my lifetime. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-04-08 19:24 |
| #1 I know a number of British expatriates over here in South Korea. To a man they're totally disgusted with the UK government and its policies on immigration and taxation. None of them plan on returning to the UK when their contracts here are up. These are educated, intelligent people; the kind of people a country can't afford to lose. Britain appears to be trading people like this for would-be dole cases from Islamabad and Kingston. |
| Posted by: Mac 2007-04-08 18:30 |