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A European Union scheme is paying jobless migrants thousands of pounds to find employment in the UK it has been revealed. The UK has accepted a third of young migrants involved with the 'Your First EURES Job' programme – a targeted job mobility scheme that helps people, up to the age of 35, to find jobs, traineeship or apprenticeships.
Since the scheme started in 2012, 1,178 unemployed Europeans are understood to have secured jobs, training or apprenticeships in the UK. Britain's intake represents 34% of the 3,387 vacancies filled so far by the scheme, which is considerably higher than second placed Germany, with 659 placements filled.
Meanwhile, just 25 Britons under the age of 30 have secured employment using the scheme, a figure that represents just 1 per cent of the overall total.
Relocation expenses and course fees for EU Immigrants
Offering up to €5,000 (£3,500) in course fees and relocation expenses to each person involved in the scheme; the average cost per head worked out at €1,818, based on official data. A report on the 'Your First EURES Job' programme, confirmed that it was relocating job seekers from economies suffering high unemployment rates to Britain.
An excerpt from the report, reads: "High placement numbers in Britain could be a result of the country's active labour market. A high proportion of outgoing job finders in countries like Spain and Italy mirrors the situation of the EU labour market, as these nations have high unemployment rates among the youth contingent. As with previous quarters, the UK continues to be the destination country of choice."
Sources in the European Union say that UK public bodies are not participating in the programme, resulting in a low uptake among the unemployed in Britain.
Generous grants encouraging people to move
The scheme is understood to feature numerous grants and reimbursements aimed at encouraging people to relocate. These include allowances for travel up to €350 for those journeying over 500 miles, with subsistence funds available of up to €50 per day to enable job seekers to attend interviews.
Claims of up to €1,060 can be made to cover relocation expenses when moving to the UK. Participants can also receive €1,270 for expenses for language training, plus €1,000 to assist applicants to have any existing qualifications recognised in a new Country. A further €500 reimbursement is available to jobseekers with 'geographical' or 'socio-economic' needs.
British businesses may benefit, taxpayers suffer
While British businesses benefit by employing participants in the scheme with a €1,060 allowance for training and language expenses, taxpayers have to fund this.
UKIP MEP, Jane Collins – the person responsible for revealing the figures – said that the programme represents a 'poor deal for the UK.'
Collins added: "It's a slap in the face for the unemployed youth in the UK seeking a job, while their taxes are used to pay for a scheme that make their chances of securing a job less likely."
