Home Office statistics published yesterday indicate that the rate of inflow of central and eastern Europeans to the UK workforce has started to fall during the course of this year.

The number of Central and Eastern Europeans applying to register for work in the UK in the third quarter of 2006 was 2.8% lower than in the equivalent quarter in 2005, following a fall of 1.7% in the year to the second quarter and compared with a 12% increase in the year to the first quarter.

John Philpott, chief economist at the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, says: “This apparent change in trend might be explained by the fact that the most eager migrants from countries that joined the EU in 2004 have by now probably tried their hand in the UK jobs market, a somewhat improved economic and employment situation in other parts of Europe, and an easing of restrictions to entry to migrants from these countries that were initially imposed by most other EU member states.

“A more subdued flow of central and eastern European migrants could spell bad news for some employers but will be welcomed by hard pressed local authorities coping with the impact of high immigration on social infrastructure,” Philpott adds.