Nearlythere1 Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Hi All, I think people head to the UK from other countries because we're a soft touch, and they know it.. I'm sure the majority will be looking for work and a safer better life than they are possibly getting in their own countries, but personally I don't think we have the capacity to be able to cope with it, unless the government toughen up on the spongers and health tourists. The UK has already got it's fair share of home grown spongers that need sorting out.. By letting others come in and immediately be entitled to benefits, health care and housing, (and by the way, we have no control of who or how many come in from the EU) just makes it more attractive. The tories promised to cut immigration down to under 100,000 by 2015. A couple of days ago it was announced that the figures for 2013/14 were up at over 240,000. Many from other EU countries. If the UK government were tougher on the home grown lazy spongers, they'd have to do the jobs that, at present are being done by migrant workers from the EU. One of my friends is a carpenter (Chippie), he has been one since he left school many years ago and has worked all his adult life. over the last few years he has struggled to get work, because migrant workers massively undercut his rates. I'm all for competition in the workplace, it's healthy. But how can he, a UK born married man with children and a home/mortgage compete with a migrant worker who lives in rented accommodation with about seven other men, sharing all the bills? Just saying...... PS, I'm not a racist, I hate everybody equally.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bora Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 First off many speak some English as their 2nd language or, at least, theywant to. UK is I feel less protectionist than other European countries and there are more employers probably willing to take on a foreign worker. The UK has a mystique too, maybe focussed too much on London but don't underestimate the influence of popular music over the decades or the Premier League. Germany and the northern parts of Italy and France (where there is more work) have colder winters than the UK and many of the European migrants come from countries which are colder in winter too so weather is not a negative factor. I sense that UK appears to offer greater opportunities if you are willing to work hard. I really don't think that the benefit system influences as many as some would seem to think. Too much reading the Daily Mail etc. Well said Gbye Grey Skies. If I was from Somalia or Eritrea or some other god forsaken place and I had travelled thousands of miles why stop in Italy or Germany or France when a short trip across a small stretch of water and you could get to England? It must feel like winning the lottery simply setting foot on our shores just because of where they have landed, long before the silver spoon treatment begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 No One mentioned Asylum Seekers? I think it was implied, given the recent news about Calais. The question was about why not European union migrants prefer the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I am perplexed as to why the EU doesn't have unilateral benefits for non EU migrants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I thought I saw something very quickly at the tail end of the news last night on this!Just found it on the BBC news website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29294776 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 It is even true that they "flood into the UK" over other countries, or is it a media creation? I just had very quick look at some figures and it doesn't seem to be the case particularly. Number of refugees seems to be higher in France and Germany. And the information of refugees per native person is higher in a lot of the other European countries including France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Norway. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_refugee_population Would like to look into this to check the validity of the figures when I have more time. Is interesting though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 With all the refugees pouring into Europe I was wondering exactly why so many seek to live in the UK? Is there more employment there or what? Why don't they go to France or Germany or Italy? Is there more red tape for these countries? Is the cost of living higher? Is the standard of housing better? Or do they just like cold miserable weather? Why is it you think they don't.? Germany is by far the biggest receiver of asylum seekers in Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Totally, the benefit system here is massively flawed, most are better off not working and claiming....For example , your partner is claiming incapacity benefits and you can register as their carer, and the government give you more more money!... you can also register as your child's carer and claim more!!! Now I'm sure there are people who deserve the benefits, but the sad truth is alot of people know how to cheat the system. My sister in-law was claiming incapacity benefits , and registered her partner as the carer , we worked out that she was getting over £35,000 per year in benefits ( with housing etc). A spot of envy perhaps? The system is flawed in not going after those with the means. Why attack the 'little people' yet again. I'm afraid England appears to have become a very cynical, inward looking, tabloid induced with huge divisions within the working class from within not to say reffo place of self interest and greed, forever looking over one's shoulder in case the other gets one better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Is that really true? Really? The taxes must be very, very high. Shouldn't you have internment camps on the Isle of Man or something? Or maybe one of the Scottish islands? With guards. I suspect your fully aware such a threat would entice the reffo hatred brigade and likely foreigners per se. Internment camps (as you call them)are already in place in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Its available to anyone who wants to cheat the system! The UK does not vet Migrants, most migrants are single and unskilled...searching for a better life no doubt and why not pick a county who will welcome you and give you everything for free. Like the benefits system, the migration system here is also flawed! Both put a huge strain on the Uk economy "There are major data gaps related to this topic in the UK and, as such, Gott and Johnston (2002) pointed out that they could only provide tentative results. Their study concluded that the overall contribution of migrants was positive, but that the impact varies with the characteristics of migrants. The estimates suggest that for the fiscal year 1999-2000 migrants in the UK contributed GBP 31.2 billion in taxes and used benefits and state services valued at GBP 28.8 billion. Therefore, the net fiscal contribution of migrants was approximately GBP + 2.5 billion. A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), presented an updated version of the Home Office analysis (Sriskandarajah et al. 2005). Its main contribution was to extend the estimation to cover five years of data. The IPPR analysis suggests that real revenues from migrants grew by 22% from fiscal year 1999-2000 to fiscal year 2003-2004 (reaching GBP 41.2 billion). However, the expenditure associated with immigrants reached GBP 41.6 billion in the fiscal year 2003-2004. Therefore, the net contribution of immigrants in the fiscal year 2003-2004 was negative at GBP -0.4 billion." Gbye grey sky - i never read the daily fail! Wrong. The UK does vet migrants and is no easy touch gaining entry. If you refer to entry from EU then of course there is the free movement between member counties. It is far from only UK attracting un skilled workers. Germany gets many more EU nationals of varying skills. (Besides Asylum Seekers) France and Sweden are very popular destinations as well. Not easy to entry UK for a permanent leave of stay if an Aussie without skills required or a lot of wealth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted September 21, 2014 Author Share Posted September 21, 2014 I'd say it is harder to emigrate to the UK from Australia than vice versa. There is a bit of discrimination going on there but no one seems to pick up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I got a few odd stares during my IELTS yesterday, being say 1 of only 4 white British in a room of say 80 people. A few even made a point of coming over asking me why I was sitting the exam. When I said they wanted to move to Australia a few asked why I would want to leave England. They had been trying a few times to pass IELTS so they could get into university. What surprised me was they were not young, they were all in their 50's or 60's mainly. They said they desperately wanted to study in England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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