Immigration Rate Drops by 10% From Peak Levels
Illegal immigration saw a 28 percent decrease compared to last year, as per Home Office data, with 81 percent of illegal entries occurring via small boats.
Net immigration dropped by 10 percent last year to 685,000 from a record high of 764,000 in 2022, according to newly released statistics.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) stated that while it’s early to determine if this decline marks the start of a new trend, emigration rose last year, especially among non-EU nationals who initially arrived in the UK on study-related visas.
In terms of total long-term immigration, 1,218,000 individuals arrived in the year ending 2023, with the ONS mentioning that this figure was similar to the end of December 2022 when 1,257,000 people moved to the UK from overseas.
Home Secretary James Cleverly noted that the recent data indicates the success of the Conservative Party’s immigration strategy.
The Home Office also reported a 25 percent decrease in visa applications in key routes in the first four months of 2024, suggesting that the implemented measures are significantly affecting immigration numbers.
Net Immigration at Elevated Levels
The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford analyzed the data release and highlighted that net immigration continues to remain at unusually high levels, with the 2023 data marking the third consecutive year of surpassing the pre-Brexit and pre-COVID levels of approximately 200,000 to 300,000.
The independent data analysis body pointed out that the notable decrease in visa grants this year and the rise in student departures indicate a potential decline in net migration that has been anticipated for some time.
Related Stories
Furthermore, the ONS indicated that these statistics encompass a period before the enforcement of government regulations that tightened immigration routes for work, study, and family visas, which became effective earlier this year.
India and Nigeria Lead Immigration Inflow
The ONS data revealed that the top four non-EU nationalities for long-term immigration flow to the UK were Indian (250,000), Nigerian (141,000), Chinese (90,000), and Pakistani (83,000).
The statistical agency highlighted that since 2019, the number of Indian, Nigerian, and Pakistani immigrants in the UK has notably risen, with about 178,000 more Indians, 127,000 more Nigerians, and 62,000 more Pakistanis migrating last year compared to five years ago.
Referring to Home Office figures, the ONS noted that Nigerians, Pakistanis, and Indians comprised the majority of individuals granted work visas in the UK. Nationals from China, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan were identified as the primary contributors to non-EU immigration via study-related visas by the end of December 2022.
For the first time since 2019, individuals from outside the EU arriving in the UK on long-term work visas exceeded those arriving for study purposes. The ONS specified that individuals arriving to work (main applicants and dependents) constituted 41 percent of long-term immigration among non-EU nationals.
Based on Home Office statistics from February, this growth was attributed to an increase in visas issued under the “Skilled Worker – Health and Care” category, with the number of main applicants almost doubling (91 percent).
Decline in Illegal Immigration by 28 Percent
Separate Home Office data released on Thursday concerning illegal immigration reported 38,546 illegal arrivals in the year ending March 2024, marking a 28 percent decrease from the previous year.
Small boats crossing the English Channel have been the primary method of illegal entry since 2020, with 81 percent utilizing this route last year. Since the onset of illegal Channel crossings in 2018, there have been 117,697 arrivals via small boats.
The top five nationalities arriving illegally by boat were Afghans (19 percent), Iranians (12 percent), Turkish nationals (11 percent), Eritreans (10 percent), and Iraqis (9 percent).
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak prioritized halting boat arrivals last year, with his Rwanda plan at the core of his strategy.
Mr. Cleverly encouraged Britons to support the Conservatives in the election, highlighting that while net immigration has decreased, more efforts are needed.
“The election offers a clear choice—either sticking with our effective immigration control plan led by Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives, or returning to the beginning with Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, who lack faith in immigration controls, advocate for illegal immigration amnesty, and have no strategy to halt boat arrivals,” stated the home secretary.
With these figures in mind, Labour accused the Conservatives of complete “chaos and failure.”
Yvette Cooper MP, shadow home secretary, criticized the Tory government’s handling of immigration, emphasizing that net migration has more than tripled since Rishi Sunak’s promise to reduce it at the last election.
Ms. Cooper remarked, “14 years of Conservative failures on the economy and immigration have led to a significant increase in work migration within the last year alone due to their failure to address skills shortages. The Tories are unable to rectify the mess they’ve created.”
PA Media contributed to this report.
