The migrant tide is turning - Central and Eastern Europeans head home

Photo: European Commission

A million migrants from Central and Eastern Europe arrived in Britain after European Union enlargement in 2004. They were doctors and dentists, plumbers and painters, waiters and willing field workers. They filled a gap in the British labour market and they helped enrich their own economies by sending money back home. This wave of workers was not predicted, in fact Britain expected only 30 thousand migrants. As we now know the real number was much higher but a new report suggests the immigration tide is turning. The British based Institute for Public Policy Research says half of those who left for the "golden west" have now returned home and many more are considering it.

Photo: European Commission
One of the report's author is Dr Danny Sriskandarajah. Kerry Skyring asked him why were the initial migration estimates so wide of the mark..