Liverpool has highest rate of immigrants in region

Aug 6 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

WEST Lancashire has become a hotspot for economic migration, new figures reveal.

The area has seen a five-fold increase in the number of migrant workers settling legally in the area.

Some experts believe it is down to the high number of seasonal jobs available in both West Lancashire and Sefton.

The figures show that West Lancashire recorded 800, with nearly half of that number coming from Poland.

That makes its increase the highest in percentage terms, but not in real terms.

Although all of Merseyside’s boroughs were destinations for economic migrants, Liverpool recorded the highest rate of new residents from overseas at 4,450, doubling the figures since 2002.

Sefton has the second highest number of overseas workers, with 1,470 people registered for National Insurance.

Wirral recorded 860, St Helens 470 and Knowsley just 190.

But David Green, of the centre-right think-tank Civitas, said: “The statistical base is so weak, and there are so many unknowns, but the real figure will be much higher.”

Liverpool’s status as the “world in one city” was seemingly backed up by the figures after attracting people from 74 countries including Mexico, Singapore, Malawi, Uganda, Brazil, Nepal, Mauritius and Ghana.

But compared to other major cities it has attracted fewer migrants than Oxford, Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and the major London boroughs.

Now organisations are working to make sure those migrants moving to the area have all the help they need to settle in.

Ewan Roberts, centre manager at Asylum Link, said the challenge for Merseyside was trying to ensure migrants and the city’s indigenous population integrate.

He added: “Migrant workers don’t only bring economic benefits, they bring cultural diversity too.

“There is a new Polish shop opening in Kensington and these things become part of the culture.

“The problem is the city is not prepared.

“Libraries and Citizens’ Advice offices don’t have the infrastructure in place to deal with people coming from overseas. The point is it is going to happen, so we would be better to be proactive.

“If you ask a community if it wants Polish workers, people will probably just say no.

“If you talk to them about developing facilities and materials for people coming into the city, they feel they are part of the process.

“It is about gentle integration.

“Festivals like Africa Oye and food festivals bring people together.”

MPs are currently mooting an asylum amnesty to give illegal immigrants the change to legalise their status, with the argument that the tax contribution from such workers would be an asset to the communities in which they live.

vickyanderson