International Migrants in England and Wales 2011
Part of 2011 Census, Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales Release
Released: 11 December 2012
Key points
The current picture of international migrants in England and Wales using 2011 Census data is presented; analyses by country of birth and passports held are reported at national, regional and local levels.
• Two key variables have been used to define international migrants: country of birth and passports held (to determine nationality).
• In 2011 13 per cent (7.5 million) of usual residents of England and Wales were born outside the UK; in 2001 this was 9 per cent (4.6 million).
• The most common non-UK countries of birth for usual residents of England and Wales in 2011 were India, Poland and Pakistan. Poland showed by far the largest percentage increase in the top ten countries of birth, with a nine-fold rise over the last decade and following its accession to the EU in 2004.
• There were 4.8 million non-UK passports held by usual residents of England and Wales in 2011, accounting for 9 per cent of the resident population. Of these, 2.3 million were EU (non-UK) passports.
• Around half (3.8 million) of all usual residents of England and Wales on census day who were born outside the UK last arrived in the UK between 2001 and 2011.
• All regions in England and Wales showed an increase in usual residents born outside the UK between 2001 and 2011; the largest numerical increases were in London and the South East. London had both the largest proportion of usual residents born outside the UK (37 per cent of its resident population) and non-UK nationals (24 per cent of its resident population).
• Some people born abroad will be UK citizens, either because their parents were UK citizens overseas at the time of their birth, or because they have been granted UK citizenship since arriving.
• Across England and Wales, the ten local authorities with the highest proportions of both non-UK born and non-UK nationals in their resident population were all London boroughs.
© Crown copyright 2012