Report finds economic benefits to the UK from immigration

A report produced by University College London and published today in the Economic Journal (‘The Fiscal Effects of Immigration to the UK’, Christian Dustmann and Tommaso Frattini) has found many financial benefits to the UK from EEA and non-EEA migration.

The main findings are as follows:

• EEA immigrants made a fiscal contribution of £4.4bn between 1995 and 2011 (compared to British nationals who made a negative net contribution of £591bn for the same period);

• Between 2001 and 2011 EEA migrant arrivals contributed £20bn;

• Between 2001 and 2011 non-EEA migrant arrivals contributed £5bn;

• 62% of the first 15 EEA (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden (United Kingdom id excluded)) states and 25% from the A10 EEA states (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) have a degree (compared with 24% in the UK);

• Immigrants who arrived in the UK since 2000 were 7% less likely than British citizens to live in social housing;

• Immigrants who arrived in the UK since 2000 were 43% less likely than British citizens to receive state benefits or tax credits.

As with all immigration related news and reports there has been some controversy regarding this report, with opposing campaigning groups criticising the report, however it is good to have some positive news regarding immigration.

We will continue to keep you updated with all immigration law changes and news.