Migration case studies

• More Polish long-term migrants came to the UK in 2005 than citizens of any other country. 
• 49,000 migrated into the UK in 2005, almost 3 times the total of 17,000 in 2004.
• The proportion of Poles within the A8 group migrating into the UK for at least a year increased from about 35% in 2004 to over 70% in 2005.
• An estimated 64,000 more A8 citizens migrated into the UK for at least a year and left in 2005, compared with 49,000 in 2004.

Causes:

• Unemployment rate averaged at 18.2% in 2005 and the UK unemployment rate was only 5.1%/
• The UK was one of the only three countries in the EU that did not restrict immigration.
• The annual GDP per head in 2006 for Poland was $12,700 compared to $30,900 in the UK.
• Young Poles with high levels of education faced  youth unemployment rate of over 40%.

Effects:

• There were large scale migrations to areas in the UK that had not experienced this before which caused tension- petrol bombed, anti-Polish grafiti. 
• Some Polish migrants were exploited by employers and employment agenciees in the UK.
• Filled skill shortages.
• Helped prevent rapid rise in oil prices.
• Skilled labour force at a reduced cost.
• Country of origin- Decreased population, money sent home improved health and education facilities, disproportionate number of females left behind.

Causes of the impact:

• Willing to work for less.
• The war in Syria has become more protracted, there has been increasing tension between the communities.
• Syrians can share housing with many people, and so can afford rents that the Lebanese cannot.
• Different levels of ability in schools.

Effects:

• Population has doubled in some towns.
• Pressure on health services,educational services.
• Waste management is not enough to cope.
• Many Syrian children have missed out on school for a long time and are struggling to catch up; Lebanese children feel left out as they do not get attention from teachers.
• Space issues in schools.

Causes of impact:

• They have relatives in common but there are still differences in customs and traditions.
• Willing to work for less money. 

Effects:

• Dowries (a nice home or appartment for the woman they would like to marry)- Syrian women will accept a smaller dowry in order to marry a Jordanian man who maybe cannot provide quite as much in terms of a place to live. Syrian women are getting the men.
• Jordanian men cannot earn enough money to provide a dowry so marriage is delayed.
• Tensions in smaller villages as Syrian men 'wear shorts' which isn't tradition.
• Jordan is 'water poor' - Syrians don't conserve water as well.

Causes of impact:

• Going to Hatay Province.
• Lots of kinship ties, lots of social networks, lots of social capital between these areas.

Effects:

• Created refugee camps.
• Coming out of the Turkish budget.
• Not stripped of dignity as they can leave at any time.