West Lothian - Migration

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Estimating the number of overseas migrant workers is complicated by the number of different categories of workers, different definitions and of course different sets of rules. The various definitions of migrants, foreign worker & foreign-born workers (which includes British people born abroad), mean the data sources may have different numbers of migrants for the same time period. The situation may become further complicated by suggestions that an increasing number of migrants from countries such as Poland now plan to stay permanently in the UK.

Traditionally, the majority of young migrant workers in the UK have come from other English speaking countries such as Australia or New Zealand, rather than from Europe. However in May 2004, a further ten countries - Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia - joined the European Union (EU). These are known as the 'Acession 10 Countries'.

Nationals of Malta and Cyprus have full free movement rights and rights to work, throughout the EU. Prior to enlargement, existing EU member states had the right to regulate access to their labour markets by nationals of the other eight countries - the 'Accession 8' or 'A8 Countries'. In May 2004 following the enlargement of the European Union (EU), the UK granted free movement to nationals of the A10 countries, but put in place transitional measures to regulate A8 nationals' access to the labour market (via the Worker Registration Scheme) and to restrict access to benefits.

Estimating the Size of thge Migrant Population

1. The Worker Registration Sceme

Nationals of the A8 countries who wish to take up employment in the UK for a period of at least a month are generally required to register with the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS). However, workers who are self-employed do not need to register, and there will also be other workers from the accession countries who for one reason or another do not register. Information about worker registrations is included (and although registration relates to jobs only the first job for each worker is counted).

The number of applicants to the WRS does not represent a measurement of net migration to the UK (inflows minus outflows). It is just a cumulative figure for the number of workers who have applied to the WRS. The figures are also not current: e.g. an individual who has registered to work and who leaves employment is not required to de-register, so some of those counted will have left the employment for which they registered and indeed some are likely to have left the UK. The attached monitoring report states that the vast majority of workers registering since May 2004 were young: 79% aged between 18 and 34. Most of these workers come without dependents (87% of workers state that they have no dependants living with them in the UK). They are therefore contributing to the success of the UK economy, and making few demands on our welfare system. The West Lothian picure is as follows:

West Lothian Data: May 04 - March 08
Country			Age			Intended Stay
Czech Rep	30	1.4%	Under 18	Under 2	0.0%	Under 3 months	1,310	61.5%
Estonia	5	0.2%	18-24	825	38.7%	3-5 months	5	0.2%
Hungary	35	1.6%	25-34	850	39.9%	6-11 months	10	0.5%
Latvia	35	1.6%	35-44	260	12.2%	1-2 years	10	0.5%
Lithuania	50	2.3%	45-54	170	8.0%	2+ years	80	3.8%
Poland	1910	89.0%	55-64	25	1.2%	Don't Know	715	33.6%
Slovakia	80	3.7%
Slovenia	Under 2	0.0%
Total	2,145	100%	Total	2,130	100%	Total	2,130	101%
Note: Rows in Country, Age & Intended stay datasets are not related. Source: Workers Registration Scheme National Data

2. National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals

National Insurance Numbers (NINos) are required for employment/self-employment purposes or to claim benefits and tax credits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responsibility for allocating NINos to overseas nationals. ALL Overseas nationals entering the UK apply to their local Jobcentre Plus office for a NINo. A background report & figures are attached.

3. Migration Figures for the UK

Figures for net migration to the UK are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (see links). The International Migration Report 2006, published in 2008 (attached), estimates that immigration by A8 citizens increased from 76,000 in 2005 to 92,000 in 2006 (an increase of 21%). Almost three quarters of the A8 inflow (68,000) were Polish citizens, which was the highest of any individual non- British citizenship.

West Lothian - Migration

Further Info - Migrants

Further Info - National Insurance

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