Migration: Insights from the Labour Force Survey Gareth Clancy Labour Market Analysis Household Labour Market and Social Wellbeing 15 th December 2009

Content LFS in Relation to Other Sources Overview of Foreign Population Defining the migrant population in the LFS Demographics Reasons for coming to the UK Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Male and Female Participation Industry and Occupation Earnings Foreign Workers in the Recession Published Analysis

LFS in relation to other sources Registrations – WRS, NINos Flows - IPS, LTIM Stocks – LFS, APS Commentary on the differences between the IPS/LTIM and LFS/APS can be found at

Overview of Foreign Population Defining the migrant population in the LFS

Overview of Foreign Population Demographics In AJ 1999 there were 4.3 million Foreign born people resident in the UK. This increased to reach 6.9 million in AJ Despite the changes in origins of migrants in the past ten years the age structure is similar to that of AJ The majority of the foreign born population was female in AJ 1999 (53 per cent) and this was still the case in 2009 (52 per cent). In AJ per cent of the foreign born population were of working age. In AJ 2009 the equivalent figure was 78 per cent. In both periods 60 per cent of the UK born population were of working age.

Overview of Foreign Population Demographics Similarities between 1999 and 2009 by country of birth and nationality, e.g. India and Pakistan remain in Top 5. Impact of EU enlargement seen by number of Polish born of working age in The estimates of Ireland in past have required writing specific code to prevent results as shown in LFS now accounts for this in A simple cross tab using one variable did not produce the most accurate estimates for Irish country of birth and nationality in the LFS.

Overview of Foreign Population Reasons for Coming to the UK

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Difference between two measures accounted for by non-UK born who have obtained UK nationality and children of UK nationals born abroad. Non-UK born as per cent of total employment is higher than non-UK nationality as per cent of employment. Non UK born levels were double non-UK nationality levels in 1999.

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Male and Female Participation UK born has always had higher total employment rates compared to all Non-UK born workers. However, there are large differences according to individual countries. E.g. EUA8 and Indian Sub-continent.

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Industry Almost a third of UK born employment is categorised as Public admin, education and health (note this includes the private sector as well) There is a marked difference between A8 born workers and other foreign born workers. The A8 born have the highest per cent of their workforce in Manufacturing, Construction and Distribution, hotels and restaurants. Whereas, other foreign born workers are more similar to UK born workers.

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Occupation Employed people born in the EUA8 countries have different occupations to both UK born and other non-UK born employed people. In Apr-Jun 09 – 34 per cent of EUA8 employment was in elementary occupations In Apr-Jun 09 – 48 per cent of other non-UK born were employed in Categories 1 to 3 compared to 44 per cent of UK born.

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Earnings Between 1998 and 2005, the earnings for all non-UK born employees were higher than UK born. Since 2005 median earnings for non-UK born workers have been lower than median UK born earnings.

Overview of Foreign Workers in the Labour Market Earnings

Foreign Workers in the Recession First contraction in output (gross domestic product) was in Apr- Jun Employment levels and rates lagged output. The picture for employment levels by nationality or country of birth is similar.

Foreign Workers in the Recession

Published Analysis Labour Market Statistics – Table 8 and Table *8(1) Migrant Worker Articles Employment of Foreign Workers in the UK Employment of Foreign Workers: Focus on Earnings Employment of Foreign Workers: Male and Female Labour Market Participation Employment of Foreign Workers: Focus on Eurostat Ad Hoc Module Employment of Foreign Workers: Period of Arrival