Abstract

Drawing on research undertaken for Regional Development Agencies, the UK Migration Advisory Committee and a sectoral body, this chapter outlines the opportunities and shortcomings for researching migrant workers in low-skilled sectors using quantitative methods. Particular focus is placed on use of the UK Labour Force Survey data at regional level to measure ‘migrant density’ in particular sectors. The advantage of this data source is that it places migrant workers in the context of other workers. However, there are concerns about the coverage of household surveys for sub-groups who are relatively young, geographically mobile and who are more likely than average to live in communal establishments. It highlights how complementing such data with bespoke survey evidence and qualitative insights from migrant workers, employers, other job seekers and local stakeholders can provide a more complete picture of migrants’ working lives and the factors shaping them.