Up to 400,000 Poles in the UK might have to return to their home country if Britain decides to leave the European Union in a June 23 referendum, according to the Rzeczpospolita daily.

Supporters of Britain exiting the European Union (a so-called Brexit) say such a move would enable London to limit immigrants’ access to the British job market.

Those Poles who have arrived in Britain during the last five years and who cannot apply for a UK residence card might be forced to return to Poland, Rzeczpospolita reported.

If immigration laws after a Brexit become more restrictive, up to half of the Poles in Britain could lose their right to work there, the daily added.

The paper writes that “the return of 400,000 Polish migrants from the UK could be a counterbalance to the demographic crisis in Poland.”

However this could also cause a significant decrease in money transfers from the United Kingdom, which are mostly received by the poorest families in Poland and which amount to about PLN 5 billion (EUR 1.1 billion) a year, the daily added. (tf/pk)

Source: Rzeczpospolita