As part of its Placement Fellowship Scheme the ESRC welcomes applications from academics interested in working in a research capacity in the Department for Communities and Local Government. The Scheme encourages social science researchers to spend time within a partner organisation to undertake policy relevant research and to develop the research skills of partner employees. The Fellowship will be jointly funded by the ESRC and Department for Communities and Local Government while the Fellow remains employed by his/her institution.
- Project Title
- Identifying social and economic push and pull factors for migration to the UK by Bulgarian and Romanian nationals
- Length of Fellowship:
- 12 months part-time
- Proposed start date:
- Autumn 2009 or as soon as mutually agreeable to both parties
- Location of Fellowship:
- Communities Analysis Division, Department for Communities and Local Government (Eland House, Victoria, London)
Expected tasks
To examine push and pull factors likely to affect the size and composition of future inflows of A2 migrants into the UK in the context of push and pull factors determining inflows into alternative destination countries in the EEA as other countries also open up.
To produce a socio-economic profile of potential migrants from the A2 (with a focus on age, qualifications and likely area of employment) to the UK's regions and local authorities over the next 5 years (ie 2010-2015).
This should be carried out by drawing on information on what previous waves of migrants from Eastern Europe looked like and by examining their settlement patterns at the local level, but also by examining the demographic profile of A2 migrants who have emigrated to Southern Europe and contrasting that profile with the profile of 'A' migrants likely to come to the UK.
Skills required
- A good understanding of economic models in general and of models of the drivers of international labour migration in particular.
- A good understanding of econometric modelling techniques (including some knowledge of forecasting techniques).
- A good understanding of the likely impacts of labour migration on the host communities in terms of the potential effects on wages, unemployment and employment rates, the broader macroeconomic impacts and the impacts on services, and cohesion at the local level.
- Working knowledge of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the International Passenger Survey (IPS) would be desirable but is not essential.
- Some appreciation of the role which analysts play in policymaking and some experience at writing for, and communicating with, non-specialist audiences, would also be an advantage.
- Flexible approach and able to deal with changing priorities.
Background
Bulgarian and Romania nationals will be given full-access to the UK labour market from January 2011.
We know that the integration of new (and established) migrants into local communities and national labour markets is key to ensure that public opinion understand the benefits of work-related international migration and of the EU more generally.
As such, and because much of the public opinion on the impacts of migration is formed on the basis on either actual or perceived impacts on local communities and services, it is important that the Government and local authorities can manage (and are seen to be managing) the impacts of international migration at the local level effectively.
The successful management of the pressures associated with rapid migrant inflows into local areas should therefore contribute to the successful delivery of the Government (and the Department's) objective (set out in PSA21) of ensuring that Britain’s communities are cohesive, active and empowered. It is also important in order achieve the Government’s objective of maximising the contribution of migration to the UK economy.
However, in order to manage the impacts of international migration at the local level and maximising its contribution to the UK economy more broadly, it is important that central Government and local authorities have a good understanding of what the size of the inflows is likely to be, and just as important, what the socio-economic and those inflows will look like in terms of their socio-economic and demographic characteristics.
The closing date for this call is 26 January 2010.
Application is by the JeS system and should be submitted accordingly - the call will go live on 26 November 2009 and remain open until 26 January 2010. Please refer to the scheme specific guidance notes. A list of FAQs relevant to the Placement Fellowship Scheme is provided to assist you.
Any enquiries please email: lesley.lilley@esrc.ac.uk or Maria.O'Beirne@communities.gsi.gov.uk