FAS research shows East European workers pay little to State

[kerrynorth]

According to FAS pay research released today the average East European worker earns E407/week which is just over the minimum wage of circa E350 which is out of the tax net. Therefore, the average East European migrant pays very little to the State in Income Tax and PRSI, although they of course receive significant benefits in terms Health and Education services as well as as course the child benefit payments, Family Income Supplement etc. I wager that the entire East European workforce does not contribute enough in income tax to pay just for the child benefit payments to non-resident children of migrants of E112million.

The Irish State and taxpayer is not even getting a mars bar a month out of this relationship!

[irishpeoplearewhingers]

If those income levels are true, then they don't pay much income tax or PRSI. However, that doesn't reflect the full extent of their contribution to the exchequer. Afterall, they pay vat and they allow Irish businesses to function, and those businesses in turn pay tax. The worrying thing is not that they contribute very little to the exchequer directly, but that the skills profile of the kind of immigrants we are attracting seems to be dropping. This has more serious implications for productivity. For immigration to really pay-off, we need more highly-skilled immigrants. In the early days of immigration (by which I mean the last decade) the educational profile of our immigrants was generally higher, but since the accession of the Eastern states, this has obviously changed somewhat. This is not to say that lower skilled workers don't bring benefits- they keep labour costs under control to some degree and allow businesses to expand. However, it is hardly rocket science to say that a sudden influx of bio-chemists, accountants or IT specialists would probably benefit us more than a similar intake of hotel workers.

[popper]

If those income levels are true, then they don't pay much income tax or PRSI. However, that doesn't reflect the full extent of their contribution to the exchequer. Afterall, they pay vat and they allow Irish businesses to function, and those businesses in turn pay tax. The worrying thing is not that they contribute very little to the exchequer directly, but that the skills profile of the kind of immigrants we are attracting seems to be dropping. This has more serious implications for productivity. For immigration to really pay-off, we need more highly-skilled immigrants. In the early days of immigration (by which I mean the last decade) the educational profile of our immigrants was generally higher, but since the accession of the Eastern states, this has obviously changed somewhat. This is not to say that lower skilled workers don't bring benefits- they keep labour costs under control to some degree and allow businesses to expand. However, it is hardly rocket science to say that a sudden influx of bio-chemists, accountants or IT specialists would probably benefit us more than a similar intake of hotel workers.

Oh yippee! So as long as a small number of low wage employers are doing well the rest of us so just put up with all the downside? Which includes as you suggest downward pressure on wages. While this is obviously a good thing from a bosses perspective I am amused at left wingers who alos put this "economic" argument in favour of mass immigration and who are stumped to come up with any other.

[White Horse]

According to FAS pay research released today the average East European worker earns E407/week which is just over the minimum wage of circa E350 which is out of the tax net. Therefore, the average East European migrant pays very little to the State in Income Tax and PRSI, although they of course receive significant benefits in terms Health and Education services as well as as course the child benefit payments, Family Income Supplement etc. I wager that the entire East European workforce does not contribute enough in income tax to pay just for the child benefit payments to non-resident children of migrants of E112million.

The Irish State and taxpayer is not even getting a mars bar a month out of this relationship!

Don't forget VAT and other stealth taxes.

[CookieMonster]

on the wage issue, keeping wage costs at an acceptable level is not only a good thing for bosses and business owners but also for the economy. lower wage costs increase a country's competitiveness. given the recent spate of highly paid manufacturing job cuts in recent weeks surely that is obvious. if irish wage costs are too high them companies will move to eastern europe(as we've already seen happening) or further away still the China, where they have greater incentives, larger pool of educated workforce, lower costs including wages.

[Clones Road Casual]

Bear in mind 40% of the Irish workforce do not pay income tax.

[politicaldonations]

May not be politically correct but I've been saying this for a while now. The immigrants are'nt paying much to state and get loads of services etc, in uk they are hopping mad as eastern europeans are clogging up their nhs and schools etc and they pay little to state and keep wage growth down. Now keeping wage growth down is ok if other costs in economy are under control (housing, services etc) but not if cost of living increases are rampant. The immigrants in Dublin are keeping rents high for the rest of us and have prevented housing market from stabilising and its now falling/crashing, when they leave here the rental market will collapse and house prices will drop further. A growing economy based on importing cheap labour does'nt equate to a better economy for indigenous Irish workers on a per capita basis but benefits business owners disproportionally.

[Gerrry]

irishpeoplearewhingers said: This is not to say that lower skilled workers don't bring benefits- they keep labour costs under control to some degree and allow businesses to expand


Popper

Oh yippee! So as long as a small number of low wage employers are doing well the rest of us so just put up with all the downside? Which includes as you suggest downward pressure on wages. While this is obviously a good thing from a bosses perspective I am amused at left wingers who alos put this "economic" argument in favour of mass immigration and who are stumped to come up with any other

What Left wingers have used that economic argument that irishpeoplearewhingers has used above?

[popper]

irishpeoplearewhingers said: This is not to say that lower skilled workers don't bring benefits- they keep labour costs under control to some degree and allow businesses to expand


Popper

Oh yippee! So as long as a small number of low wage employers are doing well the rest of us so just put up with all the downside? Which includes as you suggest downward pressure on wages. While this is obviously a good thing from a bosses perspective I am amused at left wingers who alos put this "economic" argument in favour of mass immigration and who are stumped to come up with any other

What Left wingers have used that economic argument that irishpeoplearewhingers has used above?

I have heard several SF, Labour and union people claim that "the economy needs them" when pressed as to why mass immigration is good for the Irish people.

Maybe you have another why it is such a good thing?

[green]

The immigrants in Dublin are keeping rents high for the rest of us and have prevented housing market from stabilising and its now falling/crashing, when they leave here the rental market will collapse and house prices will drop further.

So your complaint here is that, by living here, they're keeping rent high while property prices fall, and that, when they leave, rent will fall and property prices will continue to fall?

Damn their cheek!