The recent Isle of Man Population Report 2023 raises crucial concerns about the impact of significant migration on our Island. The modest population growth, primarily due to inward migration, is a double-edged sword. While it brings marginally younger demographics, it also amplifies our housing crisis. With a substantial portion of newcomers concentrated in Douglas and the South, the housing demand surges, exacerbating the existing crisis. It is very concerning that the Government reportedly wants to massively increase migration into the Isle of Man even further.
Moreover, the notion of prosperity through population growth is misguided. True prosperity lies in increasing per capita wealth, not just aggregate GDP. The Indian economy is obviously larger than the Manx economy, but the average prosperity of a person in the Isle of Man is significantly higher than the average prosperity in India.
We need a better approach to migration than this undemocratic plan to slam in a population equal to two towns the size of Ramsey. We must pivot towards policies that enhance the quality of life on the Isle of Man, not just increase numbers. Mass migration, especially low-wage migration, threatens to suppress the wages of our working-class residents, leading to a deteriorating standard of living for many.
As I keep saying: the Irish Council of Trade Unions is right when they said, “It is an iron law of economics that an abundant supply of labour pushes down its cost. It is insulting people’s intelligence to pretend otherwise.” A free-for-all migration system will likely lead to lower wages on the Isle of Man, and put a further squeeze on the households least likely to suffer lower wages. This is why we need to stop the Government’s bad policies in this area. Instead, we should have a controlled and managed migration policy based upon merit.
