When eight Eastern European countries joined the EU last year, investors latched on to prospects for low-cost manufacturing in places like Poland. What they didn't consider was that immigration of workers to Western European countries would give them some advantages on their home turf.

Although some EU nations have worried that immigration from Eastern Europe and other developing countries would disrupt their economies, not all of Europe shares that concern.

Scotland, in fact, is trying to attract Eastern European workers to offset that country's declining population, which is dropping at the fastest rate throughout Europe.

"What's happened since May of last year [when the EU was enlarged] shows there are lots of people in Eastern Europe with skills that are needed in the old 15 [in reference to the founding EU member nations]," said a Scottish economics professor.

The majority of immigrants to the UK are from Poland and the top jobs they are filling include positions as factory workers, packers, kitchen staff, and waiters.