It's an interesting debate. Many come here for higher wages than back home to build a pot of cash before returning. They don't need to invest any of their earnings in expensive British property, because they already own a home in their native country, choosing to shack up in groups over here to reduce their outgoings. This means they can offer their services cheaper than a local candidate.
The problem is, we're creating our own benefit-based culture. By continually overlooking local workers, our communities are being slowly dismantled. Our youngsters are turning into devalued members of society. They turn up at interviews with no confidence of getting the job, or end up earning too little as they compete with the outsiders, and they lose interest in the work as they struggle to pay bills. Going back to benefits becomes appealing again, as they see friends and neighbours seemingly getting more for doing less.
The local candidate might cost more, and need more management to bring them up to standard, but the country will continue to struggle with high benefits bills if companies and government remain short sighted. If companies were forced to pay proper wages to local people and ensure the right proportion of candidates taken on were local by law, and received financial incentives for doing so, we'd stand a chance.
