EMPLOYMENT
Table 6.8 Workers Registration Scheme: age of registered workers, by year of application Period <18 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Others Total 2004 320 54,355 49,835 12,655 7,425 1,020 20 260 125,885 2005 655 89,815 78,295 21,760 12,575 1,560 20 285 204,965 2006 740 99,735 88,115 23,190 13,875 1,885 25 305 227,855 2007 940 87,295 78,740 22,935 14,380 2,370 50 265 206,965 Source: WRS (Management Information from BIA).
Because there is so little data, it has been impossible to look at either age or disability discrimination in relation to migrants in the labour market. Sexual orientation and employment As noted above, none of the datasets used includes information about sexual orientation. Studies like that of Hunt et al (2007) record experiences of discrimination against lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LBGT) people within the workforce. Although newspaper reports have picked up on a significant LBGT component in Polish migration to the UK, both The Observer (July 2007) 21 and the Daily Mail (June 2007) 22 attribute it to repression by the Polish government and persecution sponsored by the Catholic Church among others. It has not been explored further in any of the studies on recent Eastern European migration. 6.5 Conclusions There is a great deal of evidence that the employment of migrants in the UK is segregated in many areas of the labour market and there are startling differences in the occupational status of some migrant groups. It is possible that some research that has highlighted gender, race or even religious penalties in employment may actually have been observing migration penalties. The fact that so many highly skilled migrants are working in low-skilled occupations is of concern: it is likely that some of this reflects discrimination in the labour market. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;personalisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of care previously provided by local authorities, voluntary bodies and private providers, which is now increasingly provided via individual budgets and care workers employed directly in the home, needs careful and sensitive monitoring because it may lead to widespread discrimination: liaison on this is needed with the Social Care Institute for Excellence and local government bodies. The situation of irregular migrants and vulnerable workers in employment is of great concern and needs further consideration, especially since exploitation is now 21
See www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/01/gayrights.uk See www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=463299&in_page_id=1811 22
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