Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Brexit

Eastern Europeans leaving.

122 replies

RomanyRoots · 08/01/2019 11:12

Hi, I just wondered if this was widespread and if many people know of Eastern Europeans leaving the UK.
We have good friends who are Polish and they have moved to Scotland and have heard my dsis in another area say likewise, several Polish families have returned.
We don't have many in our area, but my dsis has a lot of Romanians in her workplace that seem to be staying.

OP posts:
Bowchicawowow · 08/01/2019 20:56

A boy in my DS’s class is EE and he is extremely right-wing. The other kids aren’t used to hearing to such extreme views from such a young person. It’s quite an eye-opener for them. DS says he is a nice lad, just a product of a very different life experience to all the other kids.

BollocksToBrexit · 08/01/2019 21:24

Several of my Eastern European friends have taken jobs in Germany. They are allowed to work there now - not sure why not before

When they joined the EU existing member states did not have to allow freedom of movement for the first few years. Most EU states chose that option. The UK didn't. That's why there was a massive influx, because the UK was pretty much the only country they could go to. Another case of UK government decision for which the EU unfairly got the blame.

Bowchicawowow · 08/01/2019 21:26

Interesting to see the nonevent in Germany at the moment to leave the EU is gaining momentum.

Ta1kinPeace · 08/01/2019 21:30

A good friend works at the Crick - one of the most multinational employers in the UK
not happy place at the moment
such a sad thing for the UK

BollocksToBrexit · 08/01/2019 21:34

You know who hates the kind of Romanians who beg, commit crime in the UK & generally act like scummy human beings the most? The vast majority of UK Romanians who are NOT like that, but who get tarred by the same brush and widely discriminated against.

Absolutely. My Romanian friend is an associate professor. I've never seen her so angry as when she lost it with a group of Romanian beggars outside the train station. She was furious, shouting at them to stop shaming their country.

DippyAvocado · 08/01/2019 21:38

I teach in an area which has a fairly high number of Eastern Europeans living there, mainly Polish, and was also a leave-voting area.

Since the referendum, I would estimate at least 1/4 of our Eastern European pupils have left to go back. It's a shame, as I've found all the Polish pupils especially to be hard-working, well-behaved and with supportive families.

Ta1kinPeace · 08/01/2019 21:41

Dippy
I live in Southampton - at the peak we had 11% Polish population.
the Polish kids work hard and behave
they have done wonders for the school results across the city Smile

user8905 · 08/01/2019 21:42

Some people are returning because of the xenophobia around Brexit. Others are leaving as the pound isn't worth as much against the euro and as a result there are better paying jobs in Europe. I'm sure the lack of cheap labour will result in small price increases for us all - pubs, hotels, fruit picking, farm labour and much more.

Employers will moan and the govt will increase the quota to allow in cheap labour from non-eu countries like India, the Philippines and so on. Of course it would be better if employers paid more and employed British citizens - but that'd cost companies more and reduce donations to political parties.

NotTheQueen · 08/01/2019 21:42

My DH is Polish, but we live in Ireland, so our experiences will be different but perhaps similar.

About 60% of our friends have left in the last two years, with maybe half of those still here making plans to go. Most have been here since 2004/2005. A lot have been/were building homes in Poland while working here, others brought in their home cities and have been paying off the mortgage quickly. A few are leaving mortgage free, two have freehold homes and investment properties. The economy in Poland has been improving while living costs in Ireland have risen considerably - much like the U.K. Coupled with the increase in airfares (no more €5 flights), the homesickness etc, I’m sad but not surprised that they’re leaving. Those who have learned English well are particularly desirable in the Polish employment market.

I do sometimes hear xenophobic comments including colleagues who don’t know of my DH, but I get the same occasionally about myself (my time abroad means I can pigeonholed as Australian or English).

My DH has extended family in Yorkshire (Barnsley and Wakefield), and in Portsmouth. Yes, some have had enough but Brexit isn’t the only factor, just part of it. He also has family in Netherlands and Germany (as do I), they’re staying put but are more worried about their safety in Germany due to the asylum seekers. In my limited experience from regular visits to Poland, they can sometimes be unwelcoming to people of colour. As an example, a cousin married to a guy from Mauritius was banned from being the godmother to her nephew; she and her sister are orphans, so the Church’s ban was very upsetting to her. Equally I’ve sat in surburban Wrocław or Krakow often late at night for a tram or bus playing with my phone, and not had any bother. I couldn’t say the same about Manchester or London. I’m white though.

There are a section of DHs friends who haven’t learned English while here, and they’ve struggled more to build a nest egg. Sadly they are more likely to stay in Ireland as the social supports can be better.

Indians in Ireland; if you complete an a Undergraduate or Masters degree, you get a two year grad visa. At the end of two years, if you earn the required minimum (€38k AFAIK) and have a permanent job, you get a five year visa leading to residency. The local Irish universities are churning out Indian graduates, so they don’t need to recruit staff directly from India. Also INIS are getting tougher on marriages between EE and non EU couples, so that loophole is fading.

woodhill · 08/01/2019 21:56

I think it's time the UK reintroduced free tuition fees for the NHS courses such as nursing/medicine etc so there are opportunities for the young people already here.

BonsoirBonsoir · 09/01/2019 01:32

I think it's time the UK reintroduced free tuition fees for the NHS courses such as nursing/medicine etc so there are opportunities for the young people already here.

The policy of importing ready trained nurses from other countries in preference to training our own people to be nurses is an immoral fiasco.

1tisILeClerc · 09/01/2019 07:51

{The policy of importing ready trained nurses from other countries in preference to training our own people to be nurses is an immoral fiasco.}
Agreed it is immoral.
Since the Home Office under Theresa May started a 'hostile environment' campaign it has reduced the inclination of others to come and for those here to leave.
The world needs more medical staff as the population worldwide gets older. Japan is badly hit already for example.
The UK had a good reputation for training many years ago and it would be a really useful 'new' industry for the UK to really take this on board as it would 'solve' the UK crisis and provide a good flow of income to the UK.

Camomila · 09/01/2019 09:32

I don't know many Eastern Europeans but I know lots of people from 'Old Europe' (Italy, Germany, Holland, Spain) and ATM its been 50/50 leave or stay. These are people that have been here 10 years +

Poor DM has 'lost' her 2 best friends Sad

The other day I googled English jobs in Milan for DH!

In the main these are MC professionals, they are upset by the political climate in general.

RomanyRoots · 09/01/2019 13:13

Coffee

My apologies if I didn't make it clear in my first posts that I was referring to a particular cohort of Romanians and not generally.
I believe the type who work with my dsis are Roma, not just Romanian.
I'm also not saying all Roma are bad either, obviously my username should say that Grin
I know there is good and bad in all cultures and walks of life Thanks

I have seen an increase in hostility/racist abuse in some areas of the NW, and I call it out everytime, unless I think by doing so I'd put myself in danger. It's usually the older people set in their ways that I tell, as scared of the younger yob types.

OP posts:
1tisILeClerc · 09/01/2019 13:30

{I believe the type who work with my dsis are Roma, not just Romanian.}
Please do not take this as any form of criticism as I would genuinely like to know. Obviously Romanians (like yourself?) are Eastern Europeans in the same sort of way as Albanians and Polish and so on who have a similar outlook on life to more 'Western' Europeans and generally integrate into areas where they move to.
That I am not understanding is why Roma are SO against fitting into society when they move West. Refusing to be registered, and paying tax is one aspect. I can sort of understand a 'wandering' lifestyle in mobile transport but I can't get over why they feel it is 'right' to make such a mess and leave it when they move on.

RomanyRoots · 09/01/2019 17:05

I am not Romanian, but a British Romany Gypsy.
It's confusing a bit.
The people I mentioned are travellers (Roma) from Romania.
The type similar to the ones we have here who leave the mess.
I'm sure most Romanians know how to behave and have good standards, but Roma CAN be the exception to this, whichever country they come from.
I know we have some terrible messes left here when they have visited areas.
The most confusing aspect is that most Romany gypsies in the UK don't travel now and live and behave the same as everyone else and you wouldn't know. I mentioned it to my neighbour many years ago, a right Daily Mail reader, wasn't sure what reaction I'd get. He asked a few questions and still will ocassionally Grin

OP posts:
Quietrebel · 09/01/2019 17:21

Very interesting romanyroots. Sorry to derail and for my ignorance but are Irish travellers and Romany gypsies completely unrelated peoples and cultures?

1tisILeClerc · 09/01/2019 17:28

Thank you. I was aware there are various 'groupings' not helped by having similar names. The Italian government attempted to register Roma in Italy which caused a bit of a kerfuffle. In the UK local councils are bound to offer Roma sites to camp, but they then say they don't want to be in those places.

RomanyRoots · 09/01/2019 17:47

It's ok to derail.
Yes, they are different cultures, with different belief systems.
I'd say most Romany gypsies are a watered down version of the travellers they were. Some still hold onto traditions like arranged marriages, and a very misogynistic ruling, others are the same as anyone else.

Italy are known for not being very accomodating to Roma, I don't know why. I love Italy, I go on holiday there every year.

OP posts:
1tisILeClerc · 09/01/2019 18:09

Roma were on the list of 'undesirables' as presented by Hitler, and the Italian government of the time (Mussolini?) was in broad agreement with Hitler (sorry, my history detail is vague).

zingally · 10/01/2019 08:44

I'm a primary school teacher in a fairly working class, inner town area in the Midlands.

6-8 years ago, the only Eastern Europeans were Polish. Now those kids are moving up to secondary schools, and are being replaced with Lithuanians, Albanians and Romanians. Not currently getting anywhere near as many Polish kids coming in anymore.

1tisILeClerc · 10/01/2019 09:22

zingally
The Polish economy has been picking up in the last few years so they are less likely to come.
The other three joined the EU more recently so it is logical that the more enterprising would seek other places in the EU. It should be noted that the UK did not use the 'emergency brake' that was permissible which limited numbers and status (I think) of the accession countries, whereas most of the rest of Europe did. If this was seen as a 'flood', which is a disgusting way to refer to people, then it was the failure of the UK government to regulate properly.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread