Introduction
In the advent of globalization, an increasing number of people have opted to move across countries due to the relatively diminishing size of the world. Employers have also found themselves in receipt of multiple job applications from foreign individuals. The hiring and retention of a foreign employee are usually guided by a different legislation than the one governing the employment of national employees. One of the most fundamental freedoms provided by to the EU citizens is the free movement of persons. All EU citizens have unrestricted freedom to live, study and work in any member state of the union and enjoy similar rights to the local citizens.
Despite the continued opening of borders in all EU member states for the free movement of labor, Britain remains the host of the majority of the foreign workers in the region. By 2013, for instance, it was estimated that a quarter (one in every four) of all foreign workers in the EU worked in the UK. (Dixon, 2013) Statistics presented by the daily mail in 2013 showed that above 700,000 individuals would move to the UK if allowed to seek employment there. Between 2010 and 2012, the number of foreign workers in the country increased by 10% to above 216,000. Between 2010 and 2014, it is estimated that a third of the private sector jobs in the UK went to foreign employees. The population of foreign workers in Germany is almost half that of Britain. (Hope, 2015). Currently, the total number of EU migrant workers in the UK is above 2 million. (Inman, 2016)
The high number of foreign workers in Britain is explained by the high preference of foreign workers to locals by the UK employers. 62% of the British workers would opt to hire foreign workers because they believe that the Britons have a poor work ethic. The country also has a low historical record of low unemployment levels and these acts as an attraction for the immigrant workers. The foreign workers, the majority of whom come from countries which suffer acute levels of unemployment, come to the UK with the belief that their probability of securing a job is higher here that in other EU countries. (Inman, 2016)
Economic and labor market factors in the UK have also attracted foreign workers to the UK in the previous years. The rapid economic growth in the UK has triggered a high demand for highly skilled foreign workers. The fact that EU laws do not allow the member countries to hire low-skilled labor from non-EU countries, immigrants floods the UK job market to seize the numerous job opportunities. Language, opportunities to study, and the existence of well-established networks is another contributing factor to the preference for the UK as a country to work in. English is used widely across the world and the existence of various universities in the UK act as an attraction for the foreigners. The existence of networks is beneficial in facilitating such things as access to low-cost housing and general living. ("Election 2015 Briefing - Why do International Migrants come to the UK? | The Migration Observatory", 2016)
Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Turkey have the least numbers of immigrant workers in the EU. Bulgaria for instance has 23,800 immigrants, Poland has 35,900 immigrants and Romania has 34,900 immigrants compared to the millions accommodated in the UK and Germany. (Rogers, 2010)
Barriers to the movement of labor include language. If a worker is unable to communicate in the language used in another job market, mobility will be impossible in that case. The existence of non-transparent markets, inexistence of recognition for foreign professional qualifications, and the impossibility to transfer various social entitlements also serve as barriers to the mobility of labor.
References
Hope, C. (2015). David Cameron admits nearly 500,000 foreigners have joined British workforce since 2010. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11356040/David-Cameron-admits-nearly-500000-foreigners-have-joined-British-workforce-since-2010.html
Election 2015 Briefing - Why do International Migrants Come to the UK? | The Migration Observatory. (2016). Migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from http://www.migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/briefings/election-2015-briefing-why-do-international-migrants-come-uk
Dixon, H. (2013). Britain still Europe's biggest magnet for migrant workers. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10112078/Britain-still-Europes-biggest-magnet-for-migrant-workers.html
Inman, P. (2016). Number of EU workers in Britain remains above 2m. the Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/17/number-of-eu-workers-in-britain-now-above-2m
Rogers, S. (2010). Immigration to Europe: how many foreign citizens live in each country?. the Guardian. Retrieved 9 May 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/sep/07/immigration-europe-foreign-citizens
