INCREASE IN UK NET MIGRATION
In this blog update we will be talking about the Rise in UK net migration which was mainly driven by growth in non-EU nationals coming to study in the UK.
The numbers are up on 221,000 as compared to 2019 and is being increased because of the arrival of students mainly from India and China.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has mentioned that net migration in the UK was approximately 313,000 in the year to March.
This is up on 221,000 from the last year and has been steered by an increase in non-EU nationals coming to the UK to study.
The recent figures demonstrate that net migration has increased to its highest level since March 2016, when the number was an expected 326,000.
A report published earlier this year stated that in the 12-month phase to March 2020 around 715,000 people relocated to the UK and around 403,000 migrants left the UK.
Of those arriving to the UK, 257,000 were coming for study, with 458,000 coming to the UK for work, family or other motives.
Director of the Centre for International Migration at the ONS, Jay Lindop said: “Our best estimation of net migration, using all obtainable data sources, is 313,000 for the year ending March 2020.
“After a period of constancy, we were observing migration levels start to increase in the past 12 months leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This was being induced by growth in non-EU student arrivals, mainly from Indian and China.”
He added the numbers, to the end of March, “do not take into account the considerable impact the pandemic has had on international migration since then”.
Independent Home Office figures indicate passenger arrivals down 29% in the latest quarter to June, with a comparable drop in visas being allotted.
This is partially driven by the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic – which has added to a 97% reduction in passenger trips compared to the same quarter last year.
The statistics have been published months after the UK government uncovered details of its new points-based immigration system which will take effect on 1 January 2021.
This is the end of today’s blog update. Thanks for watching.