Poles have become the largest immigrant community in Britain
As reported by the BBC, according to published data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2015 there were 831,000 Polish-born people living in Britain. That is almost 750,000 more than in 2004, when Poland joined the EU along with nine other Eastern and Southern European countries. For many years, the largest first-generation immigrant communities in Britain were Indians and Irish.
Net migration, according to the statistics office, remained near a record level of 327,000 between March 2015 and March 2016. Statistics recorded a decline in arrivals from Poland and seven Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 during this year from March to March, but this decline was offset by an increase in arrivals from Bulgaria and Romania to a record 60,000. These two countries joined the EU in 2007 and have been able to freely travel and work in Britain since the beginning of 2014.
According to the ONS, the proportion of UK residents born abroad has now reached 13.3%. In 2004 it was 8.9%. The largest number of foreign-born people live in London – 37% of the metropolis's population. The top five countries of origin for first-generation immigrants in Britain are: Poland (831,000), India (795,000), Pakistan (503,000), Republic of Ireland (382,000), Germany (286,000).
Nicola White, head of international migration at the UK Office for National Statistics, noted that the increase in immigration from Bulgaria and Romania was offset by a slight decline in the number of arrivals from outside the European Union. "The main reason for migration remains work, followed by study, while the number of people coming to Britain for education has fallen significantly," Nicola White added. White particularly emphasized that the published data covers the period from March to March, that is, before the June 23 referendum in which a majority of Britons voted to leave the EU.
The Office for National Statistics recorded another record: more than a quarter of newborns in England and Wales in 2015 were born to women born outside Britain. ONS employee Elizabeth McLaren explains that this is due to the growing proportion of first-generation immigrant women among women of childbearing age: "Among migrants, there are more adults of childbearing age and fewer children and elderly people. Moreover, in addition to the fact that the share of foreign-born women in the total number of women is growing, it also affects that they have higher fertility."
Sir David Metcalf, the UK government's chief adviser on migration, told the Daily Telegraph this week that Prime Minister Theresa May may consider introducing temporary work permits for low-skilled immigrants from the EU. Theresa May has stated that cutting immigration to Britain would be an "absolute priority" for her in negotiations with the EU on Brexit.
However, EU politicians have repeatedly said that Britain cannot, as it wishes, remain a member of the single European market if it decides to restrict the free movement of labor.