Spanish v UK Immigration Figures

 

The Authorities in the UK have reported how the number of Spanish nationals enrolled onto the social security system increased last year by a massive 85% on the previous year.

The figures were recorded from April 2010 to April 2011 when a total of 25'000 arrived in the UK to look for work over that period.

The jump in figures puts Spain at the head of the table when it comes to percentage increases of immigrants to the UK, ahead of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Lithuania and Ireland.

The figure quoted does not include exchange or overseas students in the U.K., or temporary workers who are not registered in Social Security.

British Government are set for the increase to continue as the economic crisis takes hold, with the Prime Minister pledging to limit immigration in order to reduce unemployment, but he is unable to act against workers from within the EU.

Conversely, a report in the Telegraph today noted how the emigration from the UK now stood at it's lowest level since 1999, and has fallen from 207'000 in it's 2006 peak, to 124'000 last year. But when this figure was adjusted to allow for the number of expats returning to the UK the true figure stood at 43'000.

Spain has seen the largest fall in emigration, accounting for a drop of around 30'000 expats per year since 2006.