by Gemma Lynes

Created on: April 11, 2009   Last Updated: April 14, 2009

Many people believe that immigration hinders economies. While it is true that immigration is a large concern for many countries, especially Britain, with the risk of terrorism always the height of conversation. Despite this I do wonder, how many people have an Asian doctor or a dental nurse from the Philipines? How many people are served or employed by a foreign restaurant owner? Whether immigrants get paid less than minimum wage or not, they still pay their taxes and national insurance contributions. More to the point, while immigration does not just affect Britain, may I make it clear that in 2007, just over 500,000 foregn nationals came to Britain, over 350,000 Brits left, taking their skills elsewhere. People from Eastern countries who come to European countries to study pay their own tuition fees and work alongside their studies. 70% of those students then request to stay in their country of study and put their new skills to practice there, giving those countries the professional qualifications gained and in some cases, go on to teach those skills to new students. With these skills they then help our economies as the students who originate from these same countries do. For those who chose to return to their homeland, they take away those skills and put them to use in their own countries

Furthermore, we see each day on the news, conflicts and wars which focus on religion. Let me ask, if the world was more integrated due to the increase of immigration, people from all over the globe would be faced with a different religion or culture residing in their next door neighbour. We may then learn to, if not like, respect these diversities and allow us to be more acception as a pose to being ignorant to these differences. Apparently, every single language throughout the world is spoken in Britain. I learned Spanish at school and due to my partner being Iranian, I can now speak Farsi. This has made it easier to communicate with groups of people, and if I had the capacity to learn more languages I certainly would. If your children had the opportunity to learn not just English, French, German and Spanish, the foreign languages availiable on the curriculums at high schools, but Japanese, Nigerian and other Eastern languages, would that increase their chances of great employment when they finish their education? We need interpreters, foreign countries need English teachers. The more knowledge we can obtain, the greater our chances of progression, and the constant moving of people onto foreign ground will help that progression along, not just in Britain but in all countries, taking our skills and helping those who are in countries of poverty and poor education to learn these same skills in a bid to fend for themselves and not rely on international aid to fed their families.

You may think this is one-sided, and possibly biased; however I used to think immigrants should stay in their own countries. Since then, however, I have met people who have changed these views. My personal tutor at university has helped and infuenced my studies....he is from France, another of my tutors brings her skills from Albania, my doctor who was professional, courteous and caring through a recent illness is from Pakistan. On the other hand, my best friend is currently teaching English to young students in Egypt and my cousin, who was previously in the army on tour met a Bosnian lady and married her, now living in Bosnia with their tow children. How could immigration and integration possibly hinder countries? It is a tool, rich in educational opportunities that we should welcome and grasp as a pose to shun.

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