[h=1]Romanians and Bulgarians snap up 175,000 jobs in the UK already... and that's before the borders have even opened[/h]
About half that number were allowed in as farm workers on short-term contracts and thousands more got permanent posts.
In total, more than 175,000 National Insurance numbers were handed out to workers from the two countries. The remaining 75,000 people settled here with their families.
Campaigners fear that when work restrictions are lifted next year, further pressure will be placed on the jobs market, housing and public services.
Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, said: ‘The alarming thing is that even before the borders are flung open, we’re already above a quarter of a million.
‘We’re heading ever closer to my estimate of 425,000 Romanians and Bulgarians, which is a number I simply don’t believe this country can cope with.’
Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union only in 2007 and were not given immediate access to all jobs and services in Britain.
But updated statistics published by the Home Office last week show that between 2007 and 2012, a total of 262,929 applications to work or remain in Britain were approved for Bulgarians and Romanians.
MP Philip Hollobone believes the country cannot cope with the number of immigrants expected
In the past year alone, 14,583 permits for the self-employed and 20,842 for fruit-pickers were granted.
Some of those permits over the past five years may have gone to the same migrants who return to work in fields and factories.
Separate figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions show the volume of National Insurance numbers handed out to Bulgarians and Romanians is also on the rise.
Between 2007 and 2011, there were 176,040 given to workers from the two countries, including a record 40,260 in 2011.
Over the same four-year period, 945 Bulgarians and Romanians were forcibly removed from Britain, 139 were refused entry at the border and 64 left voluntarily. Last week it was revealed that 27,725 Romanians had been arrested in London since 2007, even though only 87,000 people from that country live in Britain.
A Home Office spokesman said last night: ‘Rather than producing speculative projections, we are focusing on cutting out the abuse of free movement and addressing the factors that drive European immigration to Britain.’
Meanwhile, the pressure of immigration on public services has been highlighted by new figures showing that more than 100,000 more primary school places will be needed in England by the next General Election.
The total number of places in England stands at just over 4.3 million, but by 2014-15 it is forecast there will be a deficit of 106,807.
Some of the biggest gaps are in areas where foreign-born mothers are driving increases in the birth rate. In Newham, East London, 4,551 places are needed within three years.
In Peterborough – home to the country’s first school where no pupil speaks English as their main language – 2,216 more places are required
- More than 250,000 Romanians and Bulgarians have come to Britain
- 175,000 of them have been given National Insurance Numbers
- Work restrictions are set to be lifted next year
About half that number were allowed in as farm workers on short-term contracts and thousands more got permanent posts.
In total, more than 175,000 National Insurance numbers were handed out to workers from the two countries. The remaining 75,000 people settled here with their families.
Campaigners fear that when work restrictions are lifted next year, further pressure will be placed on the jobs market, housing and public services.
Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, said: ‘The alarming thing is that even before the borders are flung open, we’re already above a quarter of a million.
‘We’re heading ever closer to my estimate of 425,000 Romanians and Bulgarians, which is a number I simply don’t believe this country can cope with.’
Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union only in 2007 and were not given immediate access to all jobs and services in Britain.
But updated statistics published by the Home Office last week show that between 2007 and 2012, a total of 262,929 applications to work or remain in Britain were approved for Bulgarians and Romanians.
In the past year alone, 14,583 permits for the self-employed and 20,842 for fruit-pickers were granted.
Some of those permits over the past five years may have gone to the same migrants who return to work in fields and factories.
Separate figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions show the volume of National Insurance numbers handed out to Bulgarians and Romanians is also on the rise.
Between 2007 and 2011, there were 176,040 given to workers from the two countries, including a record 40,260 in 2011.
Over the same four-year period, 945 Bulgarians and Romanians were forcibly removed from Britain, 139 were refused entry at the border and 64 left voluntarily. Last week it was revealed that 27,725 Romanians had been arrested in London since 2007, even though only 87,000 people from that country live in Britain.
A Home Office spokesman said last night: ‘Rather than producing speculative projections, we are focusing on cutting out the abuse of free movement and addressing the factors that drive European immigration to Britain.’
Meanwhile, the pressure of immigration on public services has been highlighted by new figures showing that more than 100,000 more primary school places will be needed in England by the next General Election.
The total number of places in England stands at just over 4.3 million, but by 2014-15 it is forecast there will be a deficit of 106,807.
Some of the biggest gaps are in areas where foreign-born mothers are driving increases in the birth rate. In Newham, East London, 4,551 places are needed within three years.
In Peterborough – home to the country’s first school where no pupil speaks English as their main language – 2,216 more places are required
