Despite Brexit, the main destination of modern Greek immigration remains Britain.
Together with Germany, they host half of those who left during the economic crisis, with the difference that young people overwhelmingly prefer Britain, Proto Thema reported.
Although more than 200,000 European Union citizens have left the UK as a result of Brexit, the evidence shows that Greeks have remained.
Despite Greeks remaining, labour shortages are being felted in many different aspects of everyday life: transportation, catering, services and retail.
The new reality, however, did not have the same effect on the strong Greek presence in the new course of Great Britain.
The preference shown by the Greeks for the United Kingdom has not changed. It continues unabated with or without Brexit.
It is indicative that 135,000 Greeks rushed to apply for pre-settled status.
There may be registered Greeks in 140 countries outside Greece, but Britain remains in the first places in terms of their largest concentration.
According to London City Hall, 300,000 Greeks are located in the city and its suburbs alone.
This number includes students, those who live permanently having obtained British citizenship, but also those who have just applied for temporary residence.
The last big wave from Greece to England occurred after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, which led to the dark period that became known as the “memorandum years”.
Especially from 2010 onwards, there was an increasing trend of migratory flow to Britain, which – based on the registrations made for the issuance of the National Security Number – quadrupled compared to the years before the crisis.
However, the difficult period when Greece bent, with unemployment soaring and job rehabilitation opportunities being eliminated, almost half a million Greek citizens, usually holders of postgraduate and doctoral degrees, flowed into Britain.
Official data
Of the 135,000 Greeks that rushed to apply for pre-settled status, 107,500 of them were in England, 7,470 in Scotland, 1,810 in Wales and 520 in Northern Ireland.
Of these applications, 40,270 were updated with settled status, 71,440 remain in pre-settled status, 980 were not accepted, 990 were withdrawn and 590 were rejected as invalid.
According to the Labour Force Survey, the majority of Greeks in Britain (60%) work in high-profile professions, such as doctors, lawyers, academics, economists and stockbrokers.
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