ABSTRACT
Recent fresh waves of foreigners arriving in Britain have again brought the issue of immigration to the forefront of public debate, with opinion deeply divided. On the one hand economists advance sound and logical explanations as to why Britain should welcome immigrants. They point first to the accepted link between economic growth and immigration, and to historical evidence which plainly demonstrates that countries with an open immigration policy, such as the United States, grow faster and create more jobs. Some economists further argue that as a result of demographic changes precipitated by a declining birthrate and ageing population, immigration of young workers from abroad is the only viable solution to resolve the acute skills and labour shortages in Britain. Workers are needed in both low-skilled jobs, such as construction firms and hotels, where there is a strong demand for temporary, low-skilled and cheap labour, and in skilled professions, especially those with medical, engineering and teaching skills. An additional reason for welcoming immigrants is that they make good workers because they tend to be selfselecting, more educated, more entrepreneurial and more skilled.1 As such, they might set good examples for English workers to emulate. Their presence in the labour market is also believed to increase social competition and as a result might encourage native workers to work harder.
