The scale of Britain's migration story is staggering, with over one million people arriving last year alone, painting a complex picture of a nation reshaped by students, workers, and families seeking a new life.
Key Takeaways
- In the year ending December 2023, long-term immigration to the UK was estimated at 1,218,000 people
- In the same period, long-term emigration from the UK was 489,000 people
- Net migration to the UK for year ending December 2023 was 729,000
- Immigration from India was the highest at 253,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Nigeria contributed 141,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- Pakistan saw 83,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- In YE Mar 2024, 321,000 work visas were granted, up 39% from previous year
- Skilled Worker visas totalled 267,400 grants in YE Mar 2024
- Health and Care Worker visas were 146,400 in YE Mar 2024
- In YE Mar 2024, 29,135 asylum applications were received
- Top asylum nationality: Pakistan with 3,608 applications in YE Mar 2024
- Afghanistan: 2,921 asylum claims in YE Mar 2024
- Migrants contributed £6.6 billion more in taxes than benefits 2022/23
- EEA migrants fiscal contribution +£4.3bn, non-EEA -£11.1bn in 2016/17
- 18% of UK workforce foreign-born in 2023
UK net migration soars to 729,000, primarily driven by non-EU work and student visas.
Asylum and Protection
- In YE Mar 2024, 29,135 asylum applications were received
- Top asylum nationality: Pakistan with 3,608 applications in YE Mar 2024
- Afghanistan: 2,921 asylum claims in YE Mar 2024
- Iran: 2,847 asylum applications in YE Mar 2024
- Albania: 2,072 asylum claims, mostly small boat arrivals, in YE Mar 2024
- 67,337 initial asylum decisions in YE Mar 2024, 67% grant rate
- Ukraine Scheme: 253,000 visas granted by YE Mar 2024
- Hong Kong BNO: 191,000 visas by YE Mar 2024
- Small boat arrivals: 29,437 detected in 2023 calendar year
- Asylum grants to small boat arrivals: 52% in latest data
- Syria top asylum nationality historically, but 1,456 claims YE Mar 2024
- Eritrea: 1,985 asylum applications YE Mar 2024
- Sudan: 1,769 claims YE Mar 2024
- Bangladesh: 1,062 asylum claims YE Mar 2024
- India: 1,961 asylum applications YE Mar 2024
- 84,231 people entered UK via small boats 2018-2023 cumulative
- Hotel costs for asylum: £8.3 million per day in 2023
- 51,000 asylum cases backlog cleared partially
Asylum and Protection Interpretation
While the government loudly debates the small boats carrying thousands, the silent truth is that a far greater wave of people arrives through lawful schemes with visas, and our own system grants two-thirds of asylum seekers protection, suggesting the real crisis is one of processing, not just border policing.
Economic and Social Impacts
- Migrants contributed £6.6 billion more in taxes than benefits 2022/23
- EEA migrants fiscal contribution +£4.3bn, non-EEA -£11.1bn in 2016/17
- 18% of UK workforce foreign-born in 2023
- Non-EU migrants 29% of NHS staff in 2023
- Immigrants 3x more likely to be in low-paid jobs than natives
- 28% of prisoners foreign nationals in England/Wales 2023
- Overcrowding in schools linked to high immigration areas, 20% pupils non-native English 2023
- Housing: Immigrants take 89% of new homes since 1991 per Migration Watch
- GDP per capita growth slowed with high migration post-2010
- 77% of London population growth due to immigration 2001-2021
- Foreign-born employment rate 77.4% vs 75.6% UK-born Q4 2023
- Non-EU immigrants over-represented in social housing at 25% usage
- 15% rise in rough sleeping linked to migration per Crisis report 2023
- Immigrants 40% of new small business starts 2023
- Net migration adds 100k to welfare costs annually per OBR
- 92% of net migration non-EU since 2019
- Foreign nationals 14% of UK population but 36% of doctors
Economic and Social Impacts Interpretation
The British immigration narrative is a complex ledger, where newcomers are simultaneously the nation's indispensable doctors, nurses, and entrepreneurs, yet also the subjects straining its housing, schools, and prisons—a story not of simple profit or loss, but of profound and ongoing societal recalibration.
Origins and Nationalities
- Immigration from India was the highest at 253,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Nigeria contributed 141,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- Pakistan saw 83,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- China contributed 66,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- Zimbabwe had 40,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- Romania was top EU source with 28,000 immigrants in YE Dec 2023
- India was top for work visas with 115,700 grants in YE Mar 2024
- Nigerians topped student visas with 48,000 grants in YE Mar 2024
- Pakistanis had high family visa grants at 20,500 in YE Mar 2024
- In 2021 Census, 10% of UK population (6.0 million) were non-UK born
- Indian-born population was 920,000 in 2021 Census
- Pakistani-born was 647,000 in 2021 Census
- Polish-born population peaked at 743,000 in 2021 Census
- Romanian-born reached 539,000 in 2021 Census
- India 116,000 immigrants YE Dec 2022
- Nigeria 107,000 YE Dec 2022
- Pakistan 55,000 YE Dec 2022
- Ukraine 39,000 YE Dec 2022 due to war
- Philippines 32,000 YE Dec 2022
- Bangladesh 28,000 immigrants YE Dec 2022
- South Africa 25,000 YE Dec 2022
- USA 24,000 immigrants YE Dec 2022
- Australia top emigration destination, 41,000 British left YE Dec 2023
- Nigeria top nationality YE June 2023 with 141,000
- India 120,000 YE June 2023
- China 89,000 YE June 2023
- Pakistan 51,000 YE June 2023
- Ukraine 43,000 YE June 2023
Origins and Nationalities Interpretation
The data suggests Britain is being reshaped not by a single tide, but by a skilled and studious wave from India, a determined one from Nigeria, and a familial one from Pakistan, while quietly maintaining its status as a net exporter of Australians.
Population and Flows
- In the year ending December 2023, long-term immigration to the UK was estimated at 1,218,000 people
- In the same period, long-term emigration from the UK was 489,000 people
- Net migration to the UK for year ending December 2023 was 729,000
- Non-EU immigration accounted for 92% of long-term immigration in YE Dec 2023
- EU immigration was 85,000 in YE Dec 2023, down from previous years
- Student immigration reached 486,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Work-related immigration was 423,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Humanitarian immigration was 116,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Other immigration was 113,000 in YE Dec 2023
- British emigration was 267,000 in YE Dec 2023
- Non-EU citizen emigration was 139,000 in YE Dec 2023
- EU citizen emigration was 84,000 in YE Dec 2023
- In YE June 2023, net migration was revised to 906,000 from 745,000
- In YE Dec 2022, immigration was 1,109,000
- Emigration 496,000 in YE Dec 2022
- Net migration 614,000 YE Dec 2022
- Student immigration 439,000 YE Dec 2022
- Work immigration 290,000 YE Dec 2022
- In 2021 Census, foreign-born in England 16.8%
- YE June 2023 immigration 1,348,000
- Emigration 442,000 YE June 2023
- Net 906,000 YE June 2023 revised
- Main reason for immigration: study 319,000 YE June 2023
- Work 226,000 YE June 2023
Population and Flows Interpretation
Britain has once again become a leading global university and jobs hub, attracting nearly three-quarters of a million more people than it lost, though whether this constitutes a national triumph or a policy failure depends entirely on which political brochure you're reading.
Visas and Entry Types
- In YE Mar 2024, 321,000 work visas were granted, up 39% from previous year
- Skilled Worker visas totalled 267,400 grants in YE Mar 2024
- Health and Care Worker visas were 146,400 in YE Mar 2024
- Student visas granted: 432,225 in YE Mar 2024
- Dependants of students: 143,000 visas in YE Mar 2024
- Family visas: 87,000 grants in YE Mar 2024
- Spouse/partner visas: 60,700 in YE Mar 2024
- Settlement visas granted: 152,000 in YE Mar 2024
- British National (Overseas) visas: 160,000+ since 2021
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) applications: over 1 million processed by Mar 2024
- Skilled Worker visa dependants: 44,100 grants YE Mar 2024
- Global Business Mobility visas: 34,800 in YE Mar 2024
- Graduate visas: 167,000 grants YE Mar 2024
- Visit visas: 2.3 million grants YE Mar 2024
- eVisa switch to digital: 10 million+ by 2025 target
- Youth Mobility visas: 18,000 grants YE Mar 2024
- Temporary Worker visas: 33,200 YE Mar 2024
Visas and Entry Types Interpretation
Britain seems to have responded to its critical labour shortages with a grand, multi-tiered strategy of "Come one, come all, bring your skills, your textbooks, your partners, and occasionally just your tourist enthusiasm, and we'll sort out the paperwork later."
Sources & References
- Reference 1ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 3MIGRATIONOBSERVATORYmigrationobservatory.ox.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 4EXPLORE-EDUCATION-STATISTICSexplore-education-statistics.service.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 5MIGRATIONWATCHUKmigrationwatchuk.orgVisit source
- Reference 6OBRobr.ukVisit source
- Reference 7GOVgov.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 8CRISIScrisis.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 9ENTERPRISENATIONenterprisenation.comVisit source
- Reference 10GMC-UKgmc-uk.orgVisit source