Net migration reached half a million this year, which is the highest on record. It’s mainly due to an increase in the number of foreign students coming to the UK and the Ukrainian refugee scheme.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), total immigration reached 1.1 million in the year to June. Around 560,000 people left the UK, leaving net migration at a record 504,000 in the past 12 months.
According to The Times:
That is more than double the 239,000 net migration recorded in the previous 12 months and higher than the pre-Brexit record of 336,000 in March 2015.
The figures will pile further pressure on Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman, the home secretary, to introduce fresh measures following the prime minister’s pledge to cut overall immigration, a key Conservative Party manifesto commitment at the last election.
The estimates published by the ONS are significantly higher than the 224,000 that the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted for next year as part of last week’s autumn statement. It projected that net migration would fall to 205,000 by 2026.
The ONS said the record was driven by a set of “unique” factors such as the two visa schemes for Ukrainanians fleeing the war with Russia, the post-pandemic resumption of international travel and Britain’s transition to a new points-based immigration system post-Brexit.
The bespoke visa scheme for Hong Kong citizens fleeing oppressive Beijing security laws has also contributed to the numbers moving to the UK.
The number of foreign students granted visas to the UK has risen to a record high of 476,000 in the 12 months to September, according to separate Home Office figures published today. This is 76 per cent higher than the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.
Indian students have for the first time overtaken the Chinese as the biggest nationality of foreign students. There was also a large increase in Nigerian students.
In the same period, Britain granted 190,000 visas to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war with Russia.
In addition to work visas, these factors have all contributed towards total immigration rising to an estimated 1.1 million in the year to June 2022.
