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| Romanian and Bulgarian migration: Rise in workers in UK | Romanian and Bulgarian migration: Rise in workers in UK |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK has risen by 15% year-on-year, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show. | The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK has risen by 15% year-on-year, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show. |
| In the last three months of 2014 there were 172,000 people from the two eastern European countries working in the UK. | In the last three months of 2014 there were 172,000 people from the two eastern European countries working in the UK. |
| This is 22,000 more than the same period in 2013. | This is 22,000 more than the same period in 2013. |
| In January 2014, Bulgarians and Romanians gained the same rights to work in the UK as other EU citizens. | In January 2014, Bulgarians and Romanians gained the same rights to work in the UK as other EU citizens. |
| The figures also show that the total number of EU workers in the UK rose by 200,000 or 10.5% to almost 1.9 million. | The figures also show that the total number of EU workers in the UK rose by 200,000 or 10.5% to almost 1.9 million. |
| The biggest rise was among migrants from the so-called A8 countries which include Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. | The biggest rise was among migrants from the so-called A8 countries which include Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. |
| Janice Atkinson, UKIP MEP for the South East, said there were now more Bulgarians and Romanians working in the UK than the total population of Folkestone and Hythe. | |
| She said the scale of immigration "highlights yet again, but with renewed urgency, the disaster the Labour and Tory consensus on open borders represents for those of our own trying to secure decent wages and their first foot on the career ladder". | |
| ONS figures also showed that unemployment levels have fallen in the UK to 1.86 million, almost half a million down on a year ago, while employment increased by 103,000 to almost 31 million, the highest since records began in 1971. | |
| The UK now has the third lowest unemployment rate in the European Union at 5.7%. |