One Day Without Us Campaign Highlights Positive Impact Migrants Have On UK Economy

Without foreign-born workers, the economy would lose £328m every day.

Britain’s economy would lose £328 million in just one day if migrants stopped working, new figures have revealed as part of a campaign to demonstrate the positive impact of immigration.

As part of a nationwide day of action, titled One Day Without Us, the New Economics Foundation has shown the impact this would also have on the economy.

Participants in One Day Without Us in Parliament Square
Participants in One Day Without Us in Parliament Square
Yui Mok/PA Wire

As part of One Day Without Us, some businesses have apparently closed their doors to highlight the huge loss £328 million loss, equal to 4% of the country’s daily GDP.

Although migrant workers in the UK make up 10.9% of the total workforce, many sectors actually include far higher proportions of foreign-born workers.

According to figures from the Migration Observatory, they make up...

This shows which sectors have the highest proportion of foreign-born workers
This shows which sectors have the highest proportion of foreign-born workers

Some people also shared this graphic to show the make-up of NHS workers...

Going to repost this to show what #1dayWithoutUs would be like for the #NHS. pic.twitter.com/DKBM6NLeok

— Nimko Ali (@NimkoAli) February 20, 2017

Some business owners tweeted that they would be closing their businesses as part of the day of action...

My company is closed today for #1DayWithoutUs. I'm an immigrant creating jobs, paying taxes, and providing a vital service to other SMEs.

— ElizaB Carnahan (@ElizaBCarnahan) February 20, 2017

Hope you've managed to down tools for the w/end for some family time. We're working on Sunday and closed Monday in support of #1DayWithoutUs

— Start Communication (@Start_Comm_Ltd) February 18, 2017

For avoidance of doubt, we will be closed on February 20th in support of #1DayWithoutUs 🇪🇺

— Dysfunction Media (@DFMLTweet) February 11, 2017

Our office will be closed from 12.30-2 today, as we are going to join in with @1daywithoutus #solidarity #1DayWithoutUs

— The Boaz Trust (@boaztrust) February 20, 2017

People have taken a stance in varying ways, from symbolically wearing special badges to posing for selfies telling their stories or even taking time out of their work to show the impact their absence would have.

Around 1,000 EU citizens gathered at Westminster to call for their right to remain in the UK to be protected following Brexit.

#1DayWithoutUs in Westminster: We're not Bargaining Chips, we deserve the #RightToStay pic.twitter.com/gQNHYiOTr2

— Ulrike Bullerby (@bullrike) February 20, 2017

Cental Hall Westminster really filling up for start of the #masslobby of Parliament for the rights of EU nationals #1DayWithoutUs l pic.twitter.com/xCUlZ3rCdn

— Cambridge Stays (@cambridge_stays) February 20, 2017

When are you going to listen Mrs May? Brexit does not have to mean discrimination. History will judge us #bridgesnotwalls #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/27Wn0OEEnO

— John Morris (@QuotedByJohn) February 20, 2017

Images of demonstrations around the country flooded Twitter...

No hate no fear, refugees and migrants are welcome here. Manchester #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/qPjgF3SRbD

— Right to Remain (@Right_to_Remain) February 20, 2017

Celebrating everything migrants do for the UK outside the Senedd in Cardiff today #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/9rcpW8xst4

— Jolene (@jolenepurdy) February 20, 2017

#1DayWithoutUs #Liverpool Stand together pic.twitter.com/DiyPBwXmRN

— Dave Jones (@Ravengambitx) February 20, 2017

What would we do without migrants/Betty's!? @Bettys1919 #1DayWithoutUs @1daywithoutus @VisitYork @CityofYork pic.twitter.com/xhLaM2MYYJ

— P-P Dechant (@PPhDechant) February 20, 2017

All set for @1daywithoutus / @UKStopTrump - You know it's bad when even the claustrophobes are marching! #1DayWithoutUs #stoptrump #nohate pic.twitter.com/SUj51ShQeQ

— Rachel (@RRowanOlive) February 20, 2017

Many also expressed their support and took part form their places of work...

#1Daywithoutus #Leicester #1dayLeicester @GLAS_tweets @uniofleicester Genetics at Leicester - with and without UK-borns. Please retweet! pic.twitter.com/3GIeRRNATa

— Ed Hollox (@edhollox) February 20, 2017

#RSCSnow cast @TheRSC Proud of our migrant heritage. Proud to support #1DayWithoutUs standing in solidarity w/ other migrants @1daywithoutus pic.twitter.com/VWjp1mvBWA

— daniel york (@danielfyork) February 20, 2017

Our lab stands with 3.2 million EU nationals and celebrates the contribution that migrants make to the UK #1DayWithoutUs #scientists pic.twitter.com/h0FJ9hqgzn

— Cris Legido-Quigley (@MetabolomicsHub) February 20, 2017

We’re supporting #1DayWithoutUs. Our social media coordinator is an EU national, so you won't be hearing from us on here today. pic.twitter.com/cEbdVwQJeJ

— Green Party (@TheGreenParty) February 20, 2017

On the right how #SAMBaITT5 would have looked without colleagues & friends from outside the UK. #1DayWithoutUs @1daywithoutus @UniofBathSci pic.twitter.com/GyWRSPhPiB

— SAMBa EPSRC CDT (@SAMBa_CDT) February 20, 2017

#1DayWithoutUs 🇮🇪 & the UK would lose four professionals who contribute to the UK economy. The 2 Brits in the pic would lose their loves ❤️ pic.twitter.com/yOafls72gg

— Danann Swanton (@DanannSwanton) February 20, 2017

Proud to work with such a diverse group of scientists #scienceisglobal #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/2ko4EfXJcA

— Ginny Howick (@GinnyHowick) February 20, 2017

Just realised that 25% of our artists, engineers, designers & producers joined us from overseas. We'd be stuck without them! @1daywithoutus

— CriterionGames (@CriterionGames) February 20, 2017

CNS supports #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/BJiDcOg3Ud

— UHI Nordic Studies (@NordicUHI) February 20, 2017

Some shared how they personally would be marking the day...

#1DayWithoutUs today to celebrate all migrants in the UK. Just imagine a single day without us. My email reply and office door pic.twitter.com/ilZ0InLczD

— Peter Hohenstein (@peterhoho1) February 20, 2017

@1daywithoutus I work for the NHS as an interpreter. Today as in #1DayWithoutUs ,I took a day off.

— emilian milanov (@emilianmilanov) February 20, 2017

I teach & run a research group @ucl, but today I'm one of thousands of EU migrant workers on strike #1DayWithoutUs https://t.co/1De0KPf1Zb

— Jonathan Oppenheim (@postquantum) February 20, 2017

As well as telling their own stories...

#1DayWithoutUs @OBU_UNISON "if my parents hadn't moved here, I might not have been born, or if I was, ...wouldn't be the person I am today" pic.twitter.com/Tm2FDjVYRc

— BrookesUnison (@OBU_UNISON) February 20, 2017

Our life is on hold! We're asking the government to guarantee our #Righttostay immediately!! We're not a #bargainingChip. 💪🏽 #1DayWithoutUs pic.twitter.com/PmlXp7jNCt

— ✨#HelloMyNameIsJoan✨ (@RoaringNurse) February 20, 2017

Today we celebrate migrant workers. For me - if migrants were missing, I would be too.My grandad came here from India to work #1DayWithoutUs

— Sana Iqbal (@SanaSmileyIqbal) February 20, 2017
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