Migrant workers ‘discriminated against in the UK’

The European Commission (EC) has called for the UK to relax its regulations regarding the rights of migrant workers in the country.

According to the organisation, the current policy is "discriminatory" towards certain employees, reported BBC News.

Since the UK opened up its labour market to the EU in 2004, it has employed a one-year rule, which means people have to have lived and worked in the country for 12 months before they are allowed to claim welfare.

However, the EC has now urged the UK to rethink its attitude towards employees from several former communist states, such as the Czech Republic and Poland.

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The organisation suggested such workers should have the same rights as UK nationals, as a result of EU directives relating to people's freedom to live and work.

Data published by the Home Office shows that the number of approved applicants on to the Worker Registration Scheme from Poland dropped 38 per cent from 2008 to 2009, standing at 62,095 for the year.

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