Immigration: Good or bad for Oxfordshire's economy?

This is important because a vote for Brexit could affect the 40,000 EU migrants who the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates were living long-term in Oxfordshire in 2014.

That’s about six per cent of the county’s estimated total population of 656,000. It is also smaller than the number of non-EU migrants, which was at 58,000.

But where are these people from? The vast majority of those from the EU – about 24,000 – have come from western European states, including Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands, with about 15,000 from eastern European states that joined after 2004, such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.

Craig Simmons, leader of the Green Party on Oxford City Council, said these people were important to the city’s economy.

He added: “If you look at both the public and private sectors, including the NHS, then many areas rely on EU nationals to fill jobs and we have certainly seen no major issues affecting Oxford in terms of employment.

“I think a lot of people tend to look at issues surrounding migration and assume that non-EU migration has something to do with the EU.

“But immigration controls on migration from outside the EU will remain the same regardless of whether we leave or not.”

Andrew Gant, Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Freedom of movement in the European single market infinitely improves the quality of research and teaching in our universities.

“It allows top scientists to come here and work in laboratories and departments, do visiting professorships and has made us more attractive to investors.”

As to the impact of immigration, independent factchecking organisation Full Fact says experts are split because no study has definitively answered the question.

But it says there is evidence that EU migrants are generally better for the public finances than non-EU migrants.

About 40 per cent of EU migrants say they are coming for a definite job, with another 30 per cent looking for work.

There is nearly full employment in Oxfordshire, with the most recent figures showing just 0.6 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 were claiming jobseekers allowance or universal credit in May.

In terms of impact on schooling, new analysis by independent think tank SchoolDash found schools with higher numbers of EU national pupils did not tend to have lower levels of attainment.

In Oxfordshire the parliamentary constituency with the most EU pupils was Oxford East, with an average of 9.5 per cent.

The lowest was Wantage, with 3.43 per cent. The average for England was 4.9 per cent.

Meanwhile, according to Full Fact, EU immigration does contribute to financial pressure on the NHS but its annual impact is small compared to other factors.

Nationally, 55,000 out of the 1.2 million staff in the English NHS are citizens of other EU countries, according to the English Health Service’s electronic staff record.

But for others there are greater concerns about immigration than just its economic impact.

The Vote Leave campaign says the system under the EU is “immoral and unfair”.

It says: “EU membership stops us controlling who comes into our country, on what terms, and who can be removed. The system is out of control.

“We cannot stop criminals entering Britain from Europe while job creators from nonEuropean countries are blocked.

“If we vote ‘remain’, we will lose more and more control of our borders to the EU and European Court.”

It says the border-free Schengen zone and the ability of EU passport holders to freelytravel here makes it easier for terrorists and criminals to get into the UK.

It points to the fact the government cannot influence the way other EU countries issue their passports, with the Times reporting yesterday that criminal organisations were using faked documents in other member states to work in the UK.

Vote Leave frontman Boris Johnson made calls yesterday for an amnesty on illegal immigrants who have been in the UK for more than 12 years.

Speaking at a rally in central London on Sunday, he said: “I’m not only pro-immigration, I’m pro-immigrants.

“And I am in favour of an amnesty of illegal immigrants who have been here for more than 12 years, unable to contribute to this economy, unable to pay taxes, unable to take proper part in society.

“I’ll tell you why. Because it is the humane thing to do. It is the economically rational thing to do.

“And it means taking back control of a system that is at the moment completely out of control.

“That is the way forward. To neutralise the extremists.”

HOW IMMIGRATION IN EUROPE WORKS

PEOPLE from all member states of the European Union have freedom of movement within the bloc, giving them the right to live and work in the UK.

This was first established under the Treaty of Rome in the 1950s. EU citizens can come here seeking jobs, to work, as a student or independently.

Their dependants, such as spouses and children, are also entitled to come with them.

Meanwhile, non-EU citizens have to meet criteria set by the UK government in order to enter, work, study or settle here.

Net migration to the UK is currently over 300,000 and EU migration currently accounts for just under half of that.

However, according to Full Fact, leaving the EU would not necessarily bring down immigration in large numbers.

If we want access to the single market, Britain may be forced to accept freedom of movement like Norway, Iceland and Lietchtenstein have.

Migration Watch estimates that if the same rules were applied to EU citizens as non-EU citizens, net migration may be reduced by about 100,000.

STATISTICS

• THE estimated number of EU migrants living long-term in Oxfordshire in 2014: 40,000
• Percentage of the county’s population: Six
• Estimated number of non-EU migrants: 58,000.
• According to the Office for National Statistics, net migration into Oxfordshire has gone up and down between 2004 and 2014. In 2014 it stood at 4,965.
• Meanwhile in Oxford, it has steadily risen over the past seven years, rising from about 450 in 2007 to 3,700 in 2014.

The ONS says all these figures should be treated with care