Don't blame the immigrants

I work with a bunch of Eastern European immigrants and they're all great people. The reality is of course that they're a detriment to the UK economy because they make some money here and then go back to their own country. But do I blame them for coming here? Not at all. If I was them, I would do exactly the same.

So yes, I would support tighter immigration laws. But life for immigrants is hard enough as it is. Don't blame them, blame the government.

How are they a detriment to the UK economy if they work and pay tax here, then go back home before they need to depend on the state in old age?

The organisation of economic and cooperation and development which is a highly influential group have concluded in this years study that immigrants economic benefits is negligeable. And in fact low skilled immigrants take out far more than they contribute. I have posted this study on tsr you can check my profile and read it for yourself

I work with a bunch of Eastern European immigrants and they're all great people. The reality is of course that they're a detriment to the UK economy because they make some money here and then go back to their own country. But do I blame them for coming here? Not at all. If I was them, I would do exactly the same.

So yes, I would support tighter immigration laws. But life for immigrants is hard enough as it is. Don't blame them, blame the government.

The organisation of economic and cooperation and development which is a highly influential group have concluded in this years study that immigrants economic benefits is negligeable. And in fact low skilled immigrants take out far more than they contribute. I have posted this study on tsr you can check my profile and read it for yourself

I hire quite a few Eastern Europeans for my businesses involved in food production and house building. I don't really care that my operations in UK hire over 95% EU nationals, while I'd prefer it if it could be 95% native of the country as how it happens in Iceland, Norway and Sweden where I also operate my businesses, the reality of it is UK operations won't be profitable.

I don't pay anyone below minimum wage other than those who are in training. Primarily use Polish, Czech and Slovakian labour. I have to say they do an excellent job and a house one of these teams assemble for me will be done a lot quicker and less defects than one done by your average British builder.

True they do take money out, the reality of it however is they are hardly a detriment to UK as a whole, those that don't live on site will have to rent a home most likely from a British landlord, presumably that landlord IS declaring that income, if not then it isn't their fault.

Last I checked none of them went back to their own country to do shopping for food, clothes and other essentials, my chief plumber and carpenter hasn't actually left UK in the last 7 years. They go to the supermarket in UK and spend their money there.

Some do have cars and vans, last I checked they filled it up at your usual Shell or Tesco and didn't drive it back to Poland for a refuel.

Some do take money home, those that had been on minimum wage would unlikely to have that much as most would have been spent in UK. Either way it is generally not too much different from your average Brit who saves up and then takes the money for his or her 2 week long holiday in Thailand or Spain.

Some do take money home to build or buy a home, you can look at it that this is a good thing, they aren't staying back in UK where later the state has to take care of their pension. They are buying a home in their home country rather than 1 in UK, which means that is one more home someone in UK can buy.

Many do take the money home as capital to start a new business, this in turn may buy capital goods that are produced in UK and when the business does well they may look to buy cars that are produced in UK.

You could look at it this way, without the existence of these EU migrants plenty of goods and services you buy today would cost a lot more and quite possibly a lot of it may not even be produced in UK.

This is all true. But you're missing out some key points. Most Eastern European immigrants save up a lot of money here so they can take it back home and start a family. Also, if they do start a business in their home country it's very unlikely that that will benefit our country, as we do not produce very much.

Perhaps 'detriment' is the wrong word, but the fact is that they would have a better effect on the country if they actually settled down here.