Latest Office for National Statistics migration report finds immigration declines but net migration rises due to sharp drop in emigration
A decrease in emigration meant net migration to the UK rose to 182,000 in the year ending June 2013, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported in its latest quarterly report on migration yesterday.
Immigration was down by over 10,000 to just over 500,000, but emigration was down nearly 30,000 and at its lowest level for more than 10 years.
The highlights of the report were:
• 503,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year ending June 2013, compared to the 517,000 people who immigrated during the previous year.
• Emigration is at its lowest level since 2001. In the year ending June 2013, 320,000 emigrants left the UK, which is lower than the 349,000 people who emigrated during the previous year. The fall in emigration is driving an increase in net migration.
• There was a net flow of 182,000 long-term migrants to the UK in the year ending June 2013, the first annual increase for two years. However, this is not a statistically significant difference from the 167,000 in the year ending June 2012.
• Immigration of non-EU citizens saw a statistically significant decrease to 242,000 in the year ending June 2013 from 282,000 the previous year. Fewer New Commonwealth citizens migrated to the UK for formal study, now similar to estimates in 2005/06.
• 183,000 EU citizens immigrated in the year ending June 2013, not a statistically significant change from the estimate of 158,000 for the previous year. There was a statistically significant increase in EU15 citizens arriving for work-related reasons
• 202,000 people arrived for work in the year ending June 2013, now once again the most common reason for immigration, overtaking formal study for the first time since 2009. 176,000 people arrived for study.
• The number of visas issued, excluding visitor and transit visas, was 526,736 in the year ending September 2013, 4% higher (+18,536) than the previous year.
• In the year ending September 2013, there were increases in the numbers of visas issued for the purposes of work (+5% to 152,139) and for study (+3% to 216,895, excluding student visitors) where university sponsored applications rose 7%.
• In the year ending September 2013, there were 33,747 family-related visas issued, 20% fewer than in the previous year, and the lowest since comparable records began in 2005.
• 1.9 million visitor visas were issued in the year ending September 2013, 15% more (+256,367) than the previous year. Increases were seen in visitor visas issued to Chinese (+80,755), Russian (+37,405), Kuwaiti (+23,507), Indian (+20,749) and Saudi Arabian (+18,030) nationals.
You can read the full report here.