UK Emigration/Immigration

[Evianers]

For those who can access the website, and are interested, a very intersting article in the Financial Times yesterday about UK emigration/immigration. As this is a potentially explosive topic, suffice to say that it is not just the third-age retirees who are upping and leaving [apparently statistics - what statistics? show that there are now more than 4.5 million Brits living outside the UK having emigrated], but one third of young people would leave if they could.

Perhaps having left in 1975, we could already see the writing on the wall then? Just our personal experience.

[Pangur]

I really don't understand all this amazement about people wanting to emigrate to other countries. Shock horror, young people fancy a bit of a change. 

As for the article, 4.5 million passport holders, compared to a UK population of c.60million. Try 3million Irish passport holders (1.2m born on the island) living outside Ireland, compared to a total population in the republic of  just under 4 million.  I know lots of Americans and Austrailans who hang onto a UK passport they can claim from parents solely so they can work in the EU - they certainly wouldn't consider themselves British anywhere except in front of HM customs.  The article also points out that between 1966 and 1996, more people emigrated than immigrated to the UK but gives no more recent figures, that I can see.  So in fact, there isn't a new emigration wave, it's not potentially explosive it's just business as usual.

I'm sure if you did similar surveys in other countries, you'd find roughly the same responses.  We live in a world that is getting smaller and smaller so you just hear about other people's experiences.  Even 20 years ago, moving to Australia or American meant that you probably expected never to come home unless you "made it".  The only thing different is that we didn't have the internet and cheap flights to allow us to share experiences as much.

Of course people are going to want to move for a variety of reasons, whether it's a case of grass being greener or dissatisfaction with where you're currently living, or you just want a bit of a challenge.  It's not necessarily a reflection of how bad things are at home.   As a thirtysomething, I know loads of people who are coming and going from different countries.   It seems that a huge proportion of young Brits want to go to English speaking countries (and ex colonies) like Australia, Canada or South Africa or to places where they can get away without speaking the lingo (perhaps a discusion on neo-colonialism rather than the state of Britain might be more appropriate[:P]).

I'm really bemused by the UK press and websites like this and how people try to justify why they moved, and feel special for emigrating.  

[Clarkkent]

Perhaps having left in 1975, we could already see the writing on the wall then? Just our personal experience.

!975? Wow!

That's so long ago you must have forgotten what you were running away from.

[Iceni]

[quote user="Clarkkent"] !975? Wow! That's so long ago you must have forgotten what you were running away from.[/quote]

Probably Milksnatch.

John

not

[Sunday Driver]

I've searched all over for this "writing on the wall" but I've never found it.

What's the big deal about moving to another country?  Moving house for the job was one of those things that one accepted during one's career, together with the challenge of adapting to a new environment.  Even my grandfather had to move from his birthplace in order to find work. 

We were quite happy living in the UK - friends, family, etc but the prospect of a post retirement move to France was an exciting challenge for us, so we took it.

When we get fed up with the scenery here, we might try Germany.  Just for a change.......[;-)]

 

 

[Gastines]

Surely one of the biggest reasons for immigration and emigration must be pure economics for a large percentage of us? When we were younger the chance of moving/working abroad was virtually unheard of, even moving /working to LONDON etc was a big deal for us country folk. Youngsters[ under 30's to me I'm afraid to say ] think very little of going to almost anywhere in the world, even the school trips now are usually abroad. My school outing was to Salisbury Cathedral, all of 30 miles away. For us older working class folk ,the opportunity was almost a necessity as it allowed us to cash in the equity in our UK  homes, enabling us to enjoy what remained of our time, without the financial day to day expense of UK living. I wonder how many of us could afford to go out for a meal whenever we felt like it in the UK. You only have to read what the cost of gas/water/electricity/council tax etc +the good old VAT is costing the average household per year. A good cause for the movement of persons must depend on age and skills,if you are working and have a useful trade, the UK is a good bet, if you want to enjoy your days 'pottering' then here,at the moment, seems a fairly safe bet.

Regards. Almost on a pension.B&B St.Malo

[Cassis]

A third of young people would leave if they could ... are they in prison, then?  [:)]

Going back 40 or 50 years hardly anyone moved out of the neighbourhood where they were born.  Since then people have become more and more mobile, have travelled abroad more since the advent of the Jumbo and affordable mass-market air travel, have more options and are less tied to their roots.  Since the 90's it seems almost every young person has been away to college - this further loosens ties and opens eyes to new possibilities.  The idea of moving abroad probably coincides with all this. 

Speaking with my old market researcher's hat on, I bet the idea of moving abroad had never occurred to most of the young people in the survey until they were asked the question!

[Missy]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]Perhaps having left in 1975, we could already see the writing on the wall then? Just our personal experience.........

 

!975? Wow! That's so long ago you must have forgotten what you were running away from.[/quote]

 

Well?... I left France in 1976 on my way to learn english round the world and see what was on offer the other side of my parents' garden hedgefence!

I haven't forgotten why I left France. Six months in to my journey, having applied for a visa to Australia, I am now trying to forget what on earth stopped me using the opportunity I had then!...

and ended up in Wales [:$] for evermore ......

.... until this chick  [:D]  gets a nest in France to come home to roost!....

[Evianers]

Wow! That's so long ago you must have forgotten what you were running away from

 

29% inflation during that year was [for us] one of the many reasons

[Cassis]

Ah yes, happy days.  Harold Wilson, Tony Benn and Mr Dennis "Eyebrows" Healey at the helm of the economy, appeals to the IMF to bail Britain out, record inflation and unemployment.  But a great summer so happy days for those of us at school, a summer beaten only by 1976.

[urko]

I am 44, have lived in the Uk all my life and never considered leaving until recently.  I don't know if I have become more sensitive to it, but the casual abuse and rowdyness (mainly drink related) is starting to get me down.  Last night after an enjoyable meal with friends I was walking home.  A kid hanging out of a passing car called me a ****.  A bloke stopped to ask me where the pizza hut was, but he was so drunk he couldn't seem to understand the answer or even stand up properly.

When I rounded the corner to my (usually quiet) street, I heard shouting.  A gang of lads, some wearing traffic cones on their heads were shouting and chanting.  One had gone off into the courtyard of one the houses to throw up, but hadn't finished the job and was just continuing to do so as he staggered along.

I know all countries have their problems, but I also know from people who have left, that quite a lot of other countries don't have this type of behaviour.  In spite of being 6' 5" I feel intimidated by this stuff.