ONS figures show net migration was 212,000 in the year ending September 2013, up from 154,000 the previous year
The latest migration statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that there was a statistically significant increase in net migration to 212,000 in the year ending September 2013, up from 154,000 the previous year.
According to the ONS, 532,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year ending September 2013, compared to 497,000 the previous year, whilst 320,000 people emigrated from the UK compared to 343,000 the previous year
BBC News called it a big increase and said the net migration figure will come as a blow to Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May's aim of cutting it to the "tens of thousands" by the time of the next election in May 2015.
The ONS figures show that immigration of EU citizens to the UK in the year ending September 2013 was 209,000, the highest estimate on record and a statistically significant increase from 149,000 the previous year.
Conversely, there was a statistically significant decrease in immigration of non-EU citizens to 244,000 in the year ending September 2013 from 269,000 the previous year. Net migration of non-EU citizens has experienced a slight (but not statistically significant) fall to 141,000 from 160,000 the previous year.
A Home Office press release put a positive face on the statistics, focusing on the fact that "figures show that net migration from outside the EU continues to fall and is now at the lowest level since 1998".
In addition, the press release noted: "The rise in net migration can be accounted for by the increase in EU migrants, including nationals from France, Germany and Spain, coming to the UK to work. Two thirds of these migrants are coming to the UK with a definite job offer."
The ONS quarterly report listed the following highlights:
• There was an estimated net flow of 212,000 long-term migrants to the UK in the year ending September 2013, a statistically significant increase from 154,000 in the previous year.
• 532,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year ending September 2013, not a statistically significant difference from 497,000 the previous year. 60,000 more EU citizens and 25,000 fewer non-EU citizens immigrated to the UK than the previous year.
• 320,000 emigrants left the UK in the year ending September 2013. This is not a statistically significant difference from the 343,000 in the previous year. 12,000 fewer British citizens, 6,000 fewer EU citizens and 5,000 fewer non-EU citizens emigrated.
• 209,000 EU citizens immigrated in the year ending September 2013, a statistically significant increase from 149,000 the previous year. 40,000 more EU citizens arrived for work than the previous year, another statistically significant increase.
• 65,000 EU15 citizens arrived to work in the year ending September 2013 - a statistically significant increase of 23,000 compared to the previous year.
• National Insurance number registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK increased by 19% to 617,000 in the year ending December 2013. Highest increases were for citizens of Poland, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
• There was a statistically significant increase in immigration of EU2 (Romanian and Bulgarian) citizens to 24,000 in the year ending September 2013 from 9,000 in the previous year. An estimated 70% arrived for work and 30% for study.
• Immigration of non-EU citizens saw a statistically significant decrease to 244,000 in the year ending September 2013 from 269,000 the previous year. This is due to fewer New Commonwealth citizens migrating to the UK for formal study.
• In 2013 there were increases in grants of work visas (+9,750, including + 4,777 short term skilled workers) and of study visas (+9,024, with increased applications for the university sector). There was also a fall in family visas granted (-7,202).
• There was an 8% increase in asylum applications in 2013 (23,507) compared with 2012 (21,843), although well below the 2002 level (84,132). The increase in 2013 was particularly driven by rises from Syria (+681), Eritrea (+649) and Albania (+507).
Home Office's Immigration Statistics
Also released today were the Home Office's Immigration Statistics October - December 2013. You can read it in full here.
A press release noted the following highlights (all data relates to the calendar year 2013 and all comparisons are with 2012, unless indicated otherwise):
Asylum: There was an 8% increase in asylum applications in 2013 (23,507) compared with 2012 (21,843), although well below the peak number of applications in 2002 (84,132). The increase in 2013 was particularly driven by rises from Syria (+681), Eritrea (+649) and Albania (+507). While Syria saw the largest increase in applications, it remains fourth for overall numbers of asylum applications.
Visitor visas issued (Before Entry): 1.9 million visitor visas were issued in 2013, 14% more (+245,093) than in 2012. Increases were seen for a range of nationalities, including Chinese (+81,575), Russian (+35,658), Kuwaiti (+25,324), Indian (+17,973) and Saudi Arabian (+15,227) nationals.
Work: There were 7% more work-related visas issued (to 154,860 in 2013) . The increase was largely accounted for by higher numbers for skilled workers (Tier 2, +18%), and for Youth mobility and temporary workers (Tier 5, +7%). The increases in Tier 2 and in Tier 5 was offset by fewer visas issued for high value workers (Tier 1) which fell by 35%. There were 13% fewer work-related extensions (falling to 122,451 in 2013) and 5% fewer permissions to stay permanently (falling to 59,249 in 2013).
Study: Study-related visas issued rose by 4% (to 218,773 in 2013). The increase includes higher numbers for Chinese, Brazilian and Malaysian nationals and falls for other nationalities, including Pakistan and India. There was a similar number of sponsored study visa applications (210,103 main applicants in 2013). There was a 7% rise in sponsored visa applications for the university sector, and falls in the further education sector (-34%), English language schools (-2%) and independent schools (-2%).
Family: There were 33,690 family route visas issued in 2013, a f all of 18%. Family-related grants to stay permanently rose by 26% (to 59,638 in 2013), although they were still lower than in 2009 (72,239). The increase was driven by an increase in grants to spouses.
EEA: For Bulgarian and Romania (EU2) nationals, there were falls in approvals for accession worker cards by 15% (to 1,526) and for registration certificates by 42% (to 12,930); these falls corresponded with falls in applications for both compared with 2012. EU2 nationals approved under the Sector Based Scheme (SBS) continued to fall, by 31% (to 335) and issuance of work cards under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) fell by 6% (to 19,630). However, figures for these schemes do not provide a full picture; in particular they exclude the self-employed.
Admissions: There were 111.1 million journeys to the UK, a 4% increase.
Visas issued (Before Entry): In total there were 532,574 visas issued in 2013, excluding visitor and transit visas, 5% higher than in 2012, with increases in grants of work visas (+9,750) and of study visas (+9,024, with increased applications for the university sector), and a fall in family visas granted (-7,202).
Student visitors: There was a 14% increase in student visitor visas issued, to 77,664. Student visitors are normally only allowed to stay for up to 6 months (11 months for English Language schools) and cannot extend their stay.
Extensions: There were 17% more grants of extensions (rising to 306,060 in 2013). This followed annual falls in each of the previous 3 years. The increase included a rise in study-related grants of extensions of a third and in family-related grants of extensions of more than double. Family-related grants of extensions more than doubled, rising from 16,627 to 40,670. Nearly two thirds (64%) of this increase was due to grants in the new Family Life (10year) category (which would have previously been considered for discretionary leave).
Settlement: There were 18% more people granted permission to stay permanently (settlement), rising to 152,949 in 2013. This was still notably lower than in 2010 (241,192). The increase was accounted for by rises in familyrelated grants (+12,264), asylum-related grants (+9,288), and discretionary or other grants (+4,594). These rises were offset partially by a fall in work-related grants (-2,946).
Detention: The number of people entering detention in 2013 increased to 30,423, up 5%. Over the same period there was an increase of 5% in those leaving detention (to 30,036). As at the end of December 2013, 2,796 people were in detention, 4% higher than at the end of December 2012. In the fourth quarter of 2013, 63 children entered detention, compared with 65 in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Removals and Voluntary Departures: In 2013 the number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed increased by 2% and there was an increase of 10% in total number of voluntary departures. The number of enforced removals from the UK fell by 11% (to 13,051), which is the lowest figure since the series began in 2004.