Commercial employment agencies play an important role in recruiting migrant workers to England not least to the social care sector. An example of this common experience was the experience of Marcin, a university educated gardener from East Europe, 59 years old at the time of the interview. Marcin expected to be doing gardening work in Scotland, but instead he was sent to a company that would pay the agency (and him) more money and therefore became a care worker in a care home in England. At the time of the interview he had been doing care work in England for seven years as this enabled him to support his family back home. In contrast some care work does not meet expectations and jobs can be short-term or get terminated precipitously. Adrian, 31 years old at the time of the interview, had been recruited by a non-profit support organisation for disabled people to work for a specific disabled person. Unlike Marcin, Adrian had some health work experience in his home country, which he thought would be useful for care work in England: My dream was to start here (UK) [as a] care worker they found me a job … paid I think for me (…), paid like 7 pounds per hour personal assistance …well … [work]. I had to work for a terribly disabled man, boy, 23 years old I think. … … His mother is Polish, that’s why she refuse me; okay, perhaps my English …Okay, is not enough for her son. Perhaps I’m not the best doctor [personal assistant] for them when I left (home) I had this interview and I was very glad because …But … ... I intended to start working there Because [the organisation] is a very good … company and very reliable. I checked that. I was poor and travelled to the UK … just for a dream I lost everything buying a ticket, coming back home. my … … … life was filled with bad experience this year… (Adrian, 31, East Europe)
Commercial employment agencies play an important role in recruiting migrant workers to England not least to the social care sector. An example of this common experience was the experience of Marcin, a university educated gardener from East Europe, 59 years old at the time of the interview. Marcin expected to be doing gardening work in Scotland, but instead he was sent to a company that would pay the agency (and him) more money and therefore became a care worker in a care home in England. At the time of the interview he had been doing care work in England for seven years as this enabled him to support his family back home. In contrast some care work does not meet expectations and jobs can be short-term or get terminated precipitously. Adrian, 31 years old at the time of the interview, had been recruited by a non-profit support organisation for disabled people to work for a specific disabled person. Unlike Marcin, Adrian had some health work experience in his home country, which he thought would be useful for care work in England: My dream was to start here (UK) [as a] care worker … they found me a job …well paid I think for me (…), paid like 7 pounds per hour … personal assistance [work]. … I had to work for … a terribly disabled man, boy, 23 years old I think. His mother is Polish, that’s why …Okay, she refuse me; okay, perhaps my English is not enough for her son. Perhaps I’m not the best doctor [personal assistant] for them …But … when I left (home) I had this interview and I was very glad because ... I intended to start working there … Because [the organisation] is a very good company and very reliable. I checked that. … I was poor and travelled to the UK just for a dream … I lost everything … buying a ticket, coming back home. … my life was filled with bad experience this year… (Adrian, 31, East Europe)
Christensen_and_Manthorpe_HRS_2016_AAM.docx