Is the term migrant worker offensive?
It can be. Whilst some people may not be offended by the term, many people do find it offensive. It can be particularly so if it is misapplied to someone who is a member of a minority ethnic community and is born locally. This person may not be either a migrant worker or a migrant at all. Just because someone is a member of a minority ethnic community, it doesn’t mean that they are a migrant worker. There are a number of other reasons why someone might choose to move to another country; for example students, refugees and people migrating for family reasons. All of these groups are part of the broader minority ethnic population. However, rather than labelling someone as a migrant worker, let’s remember that everyone is a citizen of their home country. People who have travelled to the UK from Central and Eastern Europe to work remain European citizens – just as residents of the UK do as well.
