THE number of migrant workers living in Lincolnshire is continuing to rise – despite the economic climate.

The economic downturn and rising unemployment led to a popular belief Eastern European workers were returning home.

But new Home Office statistics reveal more people from overseas are coming to work in the county than the numbers of foreign workers departing Lincolnshire.

From mid-2008 to mid-2009, 2,600 foreign nationals arrived in Lincolnshire to find work. This compared to just 1,900 departing.

And every year since 2004, Lincolnshire has seen more migrant workers entering the county than leaving, with the exception of mid-2006 to mid-2007, when 2,700 overseas workers entered the county and 2,700 left.

Polish factory worker Janusz Lebioda, 28, said despite Poland's economy showing signs of real growth, people will have far more spare cash in their pocket in Lincolnshire presuming they can find a job. Mr Lebioda, who lives in Thesiger Street, Lincoln, has lived in the city for nearly five years.

"It is harder to come here now because there's less work," said Mr Lebioda, who works at AWS Eco Plastics in Hemswell Cliff.

"My friend has a PhD from a Polish university but can't find work, so he works in a Grantham chicken factory."

Aneta Maryniak, 37, from Poland, works at Eastern European food store Lajkonik in High Street, Lincoln, having lived and worked in the city for five-and-a-half years.

She said: "It is a problem now for people who do not speak English. But you can still earn more cash here than in Poland."

Sue Humphrey teaches English language courses to migrant workers at the Abbey Access Centre in Monks Road, Lincoln, and said there is still high demand.

She said:"We have had lots of new people enquiring about classes."

However, the Reverend Liz Jackson, of St Mary-le-Wigford Church in Lincoln, says there is some real poverty among migrants.

The church, in St Mary's Street, runs a drop-in session every Sunday night and Tuesdays for vulnerable people. The Rev Jackson said: "There are guys struggling to find work and some of them have got in trouble with the police"