International Organization for Migration (IOM)

(LFS). 99 Administrative data (for example from the allocation of National Insurance
numbers and from the UKBA PBS) can provide additional insights.
In an extensive analysis of available data, Salt et al. (2011) show that between 2004
and 2009 the total workforce in the United Kingdom grew by 443,000 (2%) to 28.9
million. The number of foreign nationals in the workforce rose by almost 50 per
cent over this period from 1.526 to 2.285 million. The growth in foreign nationals
in the workforce was dominated by nationals from the eastern and central European
countries that joined the EU in 2004, with the numbers in the workforce from this
group expanding from 85,000 to over 500,000, with Poles easily the dominant group.
There was an increase in numbers of foreign nationals from Bulgaria and Romania
(from 12,000 to 61,000), with the bulk of this increase taking place after 2007. 100
Together these accounted for over 24 per cent of the total foreign workforce in 2009
compared with less than six per cent in 2004. The (labour) migration debate in the
United Kingdom since 2004 has tended to be dominated by these groups.
Third-country nationals101 accounted for over half of foreign workers in 2009, having
seen their numbers expand by over 30 per cent between 2004 and 2009. Over this
period the numbers of third-country nationals increased in both highly skilled and
low-skilled roles. The increase was apparent at all levels of the skills spectrum but was
greatest in highly skilled jobs, where numbers expanded by almost 131,000 (30%),
compared with 39,000 in lower skilled jobs. It should be noted that incumbents of
lower skilled jobs need not necessarily have low qualifications; rather some thirdcountry
nationals may work in jobs below their qualification levels. 102 The largest
increase (around 170,000) in numbers in low-skilled jobs was amongst foreign
nationals from eastern and central Europe. The number of third-country nationals
in lower skilled jobs increased, but less markedly. The numbers of United Kingdom
nationals in low-skilled jobs fell by over 290,000 over this period (Salt et al., 2011).
More recent information for 2011 reinforces the key points above about third-country
nationals being disproportionately concentrated in more highly skilled roles. Table
10.5 shows that nearly 52 per cent of third-country nationals living and working
in the United Kingdom were in professional and managerial roles, compared with
just over 30 per cent of foreign nationals from the EEA and 41 per cent of United
Kingdom nationals. Just over 20 per cent of third-country nationals worked in
routine occupations, compared with 39 per cent of foreign nationals from the EEA
and around 25 per cent of United Kingdom nationals. Third-country nationals were
also under-represented relative to the working population as a whole in intermediate
roles.
99 Relevant indicators are compiled in the annual SOPEMI reports and data disaggregated by sector and
socio-economic class presented in the UK report (Salt, 2011) are drawn on in this section.
100 This was the date when Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU. The United Kingdom imposed some
controls on entry for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, but the SAWS was open to them.
101 This term is used to describe people who are not the nationals of the 27 EU Member States. The term
‘third-country nationals’ does not refer to people who are asylum-seekers or refugees.
102 Dependants of the more highly skilled might also work in lower skilled jobs.
country studIes – UNITED KINGDOM
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