Michael Simmons Michael Simmons

There are now seven million migrant workers in the UK

Oxford Street, London (photo: Getty)

For the first time ever there are seven million migrant workers in Britain’s job market. Figures released by the ONS this morning show that more than one in five jobs in Britain is now filled by someone born overseas – despite a fall in EU workers since Brexit. Overall, that’s an increase of 183,000 – equivalent to a town the size of Warrington or a city the size of Southend – since the election, and up over one million since the first lockdown.

The rest of this morning’s ONS release suggest the jobs market could be about to face a slowdown. The ONS stats show employers reducing hiring. Above inflation pay rises for once in demand workers are nearing an end. Unemployment is up from 4 per cent to 4.3

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