Migrants taking four in five new jobs in Britain; Indians largest foreign workforce

In the period between 2014 and 2025, Britain saw 3.7 million new payroll jobs, with only 734,000, or 20%, going to British citizens, according to a report by the Centre for Social Justice. EU nationals created 408,000 of these positions, while the numbers of non-EU workers surged by 2.5 million. Indian nationals, in particular, saw the largest employment growth among foreign nationals, holding 1,029,300 jobs, or 16% of all non-UK payroll jobs, a rise of 728,200 since 2014.

The report, titled "State of Dependency," criticizes the government's focus on adding migrants to the economy instead of unlocking potential among the 6.7 million people facing unemployment. It argues that policymakers have become more receptive to public and private demands for imported labor, even worsening wage pressures following the pandemic, popularly known as the "Boriswave."

Most of the labor market expansion has occurred since 2020, with non-EU payroll positions growing by 2.1 million. However, these jobs are primarily concentrated in low-paying sectors like social care, hospitality, and retail, which have historically offered entry points for British unemployed individuals. Simultaneously, the number of people receiving out-of-work benefits increased by 2.3 million during the same period.

The report highlights that Britain has effectively employed a "human quantitative easing" strategy, importing workers to boost GDP while neglecting millions of people who have fallen out of the labor market. This approach has led to significant welfare spending, with £14.3 billion now being allocated to working-age foreign nationals residing in Britain.

Over the last two decades, the British state has spent £1.6 trillion on working-age benefits, a sum that exceeds £1.1 trillion more than the combined capital investment in transport, science, technology, and housing.