On 29th of March Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. This article provides the guidelines for the withdrawal of a member state from the European Union. The British government sent on Wednesday a notification to the European Council, initiating a two years period of negotiations between the UK and the EU, which will end with the exit of Britain from the Union. The decision on Brexit was taken after the referendum on 23rd of June in 2016, when British people decided by 51.9% to leave the EU[1]. According to the Guardian, EU diplomats expect the negotiations to start after the British elections, which are scheduled for the 8th of June. *Scheduled for 19th June
The outcome of the referendum has brought many uncertainties upon the future of an EU without Britain and vice versa, as well as how Britain will manage to get good trade deals after years of economic interdependency and co-operation with the Union. Another crucial matter that is gambled on the negotiation table between these two actors are the lives of European people, who immigrated from their countries seeking a better life in the UK. Under the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, European citizens are free to move inside the European single market, as well as having the freedom to choose their country of residency[2]; According to EEA, EU citizens who live and work or study in UK for 5 years are eligible of the British permanent residency[3]. However, after the referendum, becoming a UK resident has turned out to be unreasonably tougher for EU nationals.
According to the Guardian, an 85 page application form and numerous other documents are required in order for an EU citizen to apply for the residency. Whoever is eligible of the permanent stay must undergo a pretty complicated, expensive and time consuming procedure to prove his or her eligibility and finally to be granted the permanent stay in the country. This hostile environment was set up a little after the referendum. Britain must achieve a viable deal with the EU to ensure the country’s survival and the red tape in British permanent residency is a demonstration of power. Britain is fully aware that the EU will seek a deal for its citizens, thus it preys upon these people’s future for a better agreement, creating great uncertainty and anxiety to 3 million people. On the other hand, EU leaders are pushing Britain to sustain the right of UK residency to all EU citizens, who will arrive before the spring in 2019 and remain in Britain for five years.
In pursuit of better opportunities
Greece, since late 2009 is suffering from a severe economic depression, which has resulted in a dramatic fall in the country’s GPD, the shrinking of the welfare state, dramatic wage reductions and soaring unemployment. As a result, many Greeks have fled the country in search of better opportunities. Greeks feel insecure about their future and they do not believe that the situation will get better for the next decade. One of the most pressing issues is unemployment. This is estimated at 23% – and close to 50% amongst Greek youth – which is by far the greatest obstacle to optimism.
Sidney is 25 years old, although she has a degree in physics the best job she could get in Greece was a waitress. However, when she came to UK, she found a job for two years in an international company as an interpreter. She is currently studying animation at Bournemouth University and she can live independently. Sidney’s example is not a single case. According to Central Bank of Greece through LSE report, more than 427,000 highly educated young professionals have left the country between 2008 and 2015[4]. In other words, approximately 2,2% of Greek population has left the country and the numbers are expected to rise in the following years. In addition, the report estimates that at the household level, one in 18 families in Greece has a member who emigrated in the post-2010 period and 85% of the post-2010 emigrants were recorded still living abroad at the time when the survey was conducted. Approximately 25% of Greek immigrants are coming to UK. Furthermore, according to the Office for National Statistics, the number of Greek people who apply for National Insurance number is on rise.
Sidney said: “I would like to stay and work permanently in the UK. That was the plan from the beginning, because of my area of study, so I can find a good job only in certain countries that have developed the movie industry. The closest country I could go, is the UK, since the movie industry is advanced and there are job opportunities in the field. An important factor for my decision was the language of course. That’s the plan.”
“I came here to UK to find a job and have a better opportunity because the situation in Greece is very bad. I want to make some money so I can make ends meet”, said Aris*,22. Aris came to Bournemouth two years ago after several failed attempts to find a job in Greece. “It was hard the first time I came here to find a job” he confesses. After working for almost a year I went back to Greece, only to realize that the things were worse that the year before, so I came back to Bournemouth. Luckily, my boss from the job I used to do here rehired me. He was happy with me for doing my job really well”. Aris is currently working in two restaurants to make ends meet.
“I came here to UK to study and to find a job.First and foremost, I only speak English apart from Greek and I don’t have the money to go in the U.S for example” Natasha*, 23, postgraduate student in Bournemouth University.
The Uncertain Future of Young Greek Immigrants
The question, which has arisen is, what is going to happen to these people if Britain denies them residency? I interviewed four Greek people and they claimed that, the current volatile situation is a source of great anxiety for thousands of Greeks, as they cannot predict what is going to happened to them. Should they migrate again, or stay and be eligible to live a life with dignity here?
Sidney shared her concerns “I am certainly anxious about the future. The only thing that keeps me at ease is the fact that it won’t happen in one day, so I will have some time to take my decisions. What really concerns me is my family that moved here recently. I am young, although it would be hard to migrate for a second time in my life, I will make it! I might need to learn another language but I will make it! What makes me nervous is my family’s future. My mother is now is in her fifties. She migrated from Greece to find a job and have a better future for her and her family. She was forced to do it because of the crisis”. Many people are forced to leave and come to the UK and one of the most important factors is the language. Young people are easier to adapt, but for families the chances are slight. If the British government decides to deny them permanent residency, they will probably have to go back to Greece. She claims that “It will be heartbreaking if a whole settled family has to migrate for a second time… I can’t go back to Greece. We are deprived from future there. Once you leave there is no return”.
For Aris* Brexit means that life might become extremely expensive, as well as the fees for permanent residency and he might be forced for economically reasons to go back in Greece. For people like him that they have come here to UK alone and cannot expect anyone’s support, there is fear if they can sustain themselves in the country. “…if things become harder, like the rents get higher, I don’t know if I can make the ends meet. I will probably have to work from day to night, although I already to do that. I’m not afraid to go back in Greece in ten years’ time for example, but I don’t wish to go back in two years. I don’t think the situation in Greece will get any better”. Aris is not afraid of working, even if it means that he will have to spent his whole days in two different restaurants, serving people. What he is afraid of, is that if he might be forced to go back in Greece and join the ranks of unemployment again.
Natasha* on the other hand represents a proportion of the Greek population, who rushed to the UK, hoping that they will be lucky enough to gain the UK residency fulfilling the EEA’s criteria. “I didn’t plan to come here in September as I did…Brexit made me fear that in two or three years’ time that I might want to come, I wouldn’t be able to. I might not have the money, or I might not be able to stay. So, I came here now hoping that I might be able to stay and work here”. Natasha says that even if she came earlier than she planned to, she still feels threaten from Brexit.
Eleni, is 25 years old, she works as a sale assistant in Bournemouth and at the same time she is searching for a job as a computer engineer. Eleni got her degree in computer science and came here to UK to find a job in her area of studies. As one of the many young highly educated Greeks, she came here because she couldn’t find a better job in Greece. She claimed that it is a shame to have spent all that time and effort to gain expertise in a certain field, if you can’t find a respective job; however, Eleni couldn’t escape uncertainty here. Brexit makes her anxious and she can hardly think of an alternative if she is forced to live the country… “They (British government) should know”. During the interview, she revealed that she has faced racial discrimination. “I can’t understand why they don’t want us? UK is a multicultural society for so many years! It doesn’t make any sense. They are still Europeans themselves”. She is afraid that this discrimination might get worse in the years coming.
Greeks and Britain’s Wish for Stronger Border Control
It is important to note that Brexit is not the first event that threatens Greek migration. In 2012 when Greek people were leaving Greece to escape poverty, MP David Cameron reassured British people that in case of Grexit the party will tighten up border security to avoid the flux of Greeks in UK[5]. In Greek people’s minds things are different. They came here not to steal British people’s job nor disrupt the country’s order and security, but for better opportunities in a highly competitive job market.
Brexit threatens the future of thousands of Greeks, especially the young people, who have spent money and time to study, not only for their own shake but also to provide their services to the country. Many of the gaps in the NHS have been filled because of Greek doctors who migrated from Greece. It is estimated that 3,757 Greek doctors are working for the NHS and the future of 3,500 of them is uncertain because of Brexit. If these people are forced to leave who will replace them? The future government should take into consideration that it plays with people’s lives. They should give a certain answer to these people and give an end to their anxieties and fear. Greeks, along with the rest of Europeans nationals in UK should have right to dream and plan their future.
Giota Mitta
[1] The electoral Commission, 2016. EU Referendum Results [online]. UK: The electoral Commission. Available from: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/electorate-and-count-information [Accessed 7 May 2017].
[2] Euro-Lex, 2012. Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union. Official Journal of the European Union [online], C326/13-C326/45. Available form: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12012M%2FTXT [Accessed 7 May 2017].
[3] GOV.UK, 2017. UK residence for EU citizens [online]. UK: GOV.UK. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/eea-registration-certificate/permanent-residence [Accessed 7 May 2017].
[4] Labrianidis, L. and Pratsinakis, M, 2015. Outward migration from Greece during the crisis [online]. UK: London School of Economic’s Hellenic Observatory.
[5] Labrianidis, L. and Pratsinakis, M, 2015. Outward migration from Greece during the crisis [online].UK: London School of Economic’s Hellenic Observatory.
