This morning, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released figures which showed that the number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK rose by 8% in the second quarter of this year. ONS’s statistics show that despite restrictions being lifted on Romanian and Bulgarian nationals, the number in the workforce initially fell by 3,000 in the first quarter of the year to 122,000. Analysts say the figures prove that “scaremongering” Ukip overestimated its projections by nearly 20 times.
ONS Statistics: What they Show
The new ONS figures showed that there were 153,000 Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK in the second quarter of this year, up 13,000 or just over 9% year on year. It seems that compared with the same period in 2012, the total was up 47% and 59% on the figure for April to June 2011, when there were just over 96,000 here.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, stated:
‘Once dependants are factored in it is likely that the increase in population over the whole year 2014 will be between 30,000 and 70,000 as we predicted. Our central estimate of 50,000 remains a very likely outcome.’
Rise ‘Nowhere Near’ Scale Predicted by Ukip
Following the release of these findings, Atul Hatwal, director of the Migration Matters Trust stated:
“Today’s figures expose the scale of scaremongering by Nigel Farage and Ukip over Romanian and Bulgarian migration.
Farage predicted there would be 5,000 a week arriving for several years. Today’s government statistics show that in the first 6 months of the year, the total rise in the numbers of Romanian and Bulgarian nationals was just 7,000. By the end of June, according to Ukip’s forecast on Romanian and Bulgarian migration, the number should have been 130,000 – an over estimate of almost twenty times.”
Successfully applying for an Work Permit & Accession Worker Card
UK employers wishing to hire Bulgarian and Romanian nationals must currently apply for a work permit. If this is approved, nationals from these countries must apply for an accession worker card. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals and their family members who are considering moving to the UK, should seek legal advice from expert UK Immigration Lawyers regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to ensure that they know their options and how they can proceed to the next steps. Feel free to contact us to discuss your immigration situation and we will assess your case and provide you with options of visiting or settling in the UK.