Against a backdrop of record-breaking statistics and heated political debate, the United Kingdom is now home to over 10 million people born abroad, a profound demographic shift that is reshaping the nation's workforce, communities, and future.
Key Takeaways
- As of the year ending December 2023, net migration to the UK was estimated at 685,000, the highest on record.
- The UK foreign-born population reached 10.0 million in 2023, equating to 14.8% of the total UK population.
- In 2021 Census, 16.8% of England's population (10.0 million people) were born outside the UK.
- India was the most common country of birth for non-UK born residents in England and Wales with 920,000 people in 2021.
- Poland ranked second with 743,000 Polish-born residents in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- Pakistan had 624,000 born residents in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- The employment rate for non-EU born men in the UK was 75.3% in 2023, compared to 79.2% for UK-born men.
- Non-EU born women had an employment rate of 59.8% in 2023, versus 74.1% for UK-born women.
- EU-born employment rate was 78.5% for men and 67.2% for women in 2023.
- 45% of non-UK born aged 16-64 have higher education qualifications (2023).
- 42% of UK-born working-age have degree-level or above (2023).
- EU-born migrants have the highest qualification rate at 52% degree-level (2023).
- 30% of non-UK born report good health vs 35% UK-born (2023).
- Immigrants use 20% less GP services per capita (2023).
- 28% of NHS doctors are foreign-trained (2023).
UK immigration reaches record highs, significantly changing the nation's demographic makeup.
Country of Origin
- India was the most common country of birth for non-UK born residents in England and Wales with 920,000 people in 2021.
- Poland ranked second with 743,000 Polish-born residents in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- Pakistan had 624,000 born residents in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- Romania saw 539,000 residents born there living in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- Ireland had 325,000 born residents in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- Germany contributed 291,000 born residents (2021 Census England and Wales).
- Nigeria had 270,000 born residents (2021 Census).
- Italy: 239,000 (2021 Census England and Wales).
- Portugal: 232,000 born in Portugal living in England and Wales (2021).
- France: 176,000 (2021 Census).
- In the year ending June 2023, India accounted for 250,400 long-term immigrants to the UK.
- Nigeria was the second top source with 141,000 long-term immigrants YE June 2023.
- Pakistan sent 82,000 long-term migrants YE June 2023.
- China contributed 76,800 YE June 2023.
- Zimbabwe: 36,700 long-term immigrants YE June 2023.
- Romania: 35,200 YE June 2023.
- Ukraine: 34,300 due to conflict YE June 2023.
- Hong Kong: 33,300 YE June 2023.
- South Africa: 25,400 YE June 2023.
- Philippines: 25,000 YE June 2023.
- EU8 countries (Poland, Romania etc.) sent 48,000 immigrants in 2023.
- Western EU countries contributed 22,000 net migrants in 2023.
- Non-EU Asia was the largest origin region with 420,000 arrivals in 2023.
- Africa contributed 141,000 long-term immigrants in YE Dec 2023.
- Americas sent 94,000 immigrants YE Dec 2023.
- EU countries totalled 90,000 immigrants YE Dec 2023.
- Middle East and North Africa: 71,000 YE Dec 2023.
- 75% of work visa main applicants were from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Zimbabwe in 2023.
- 48% of care worker visas went to India and Nigeria in 2023.
- Top student nationalities: China (140,000), India (120,000), Nigeria (50,000) in 2023.
Country of Origin Interpretation
While India and Poland currently command the census podium, the latest immigration flows reveal a dynamic shift, where the UK’s workforce, care homes, and universities are increasingly being shaped by talent from Asia and Africa.
Education and Qualifications
- 45% of non-UK born aged 16-64 have higher education qualifications (2023).
- 42% of UK-born working-age have degree-level or above (2023).
- EU-born migrants have the highest qualification rate at 52% degree-level (2023).
- Non-EU migrants: 38% with degree-level qualifications (2023).
- 25% of non-UK born have no qualifications vs 8% UK-born (2021 Census).
- Immigrants make up 40% of PhD students in UK universities (2023).
- 486,000 student visas granted, with dependants 152,000 in 2023.
- Sponsored study visas at undergraduate level: 40% of total (2023).
- Postgraduate student visas: 55% of grants (2023).
- English language training visas: 18,000 in 2023.
- 19% of pupils in state-funded schools have English as additional language (2023).
- Immigrant children outperform UK-born in GCSE maths by 5% (2023).
- Second-generation immigrants achieve 10% higher university entry rates (2023).
- 35% of university staff are non-UK nationals (2023).
- Vocational qualifications: non-EU migrants have 20% rate vs 25% UK-born (2023).
- Apprenticeships: 12% filled by non-UK born (2023).
- Adult education participation: 15% lower for non-UK born (2023).
- STEM degrees: 50% of students are international (2023).
- Medicine and dentistry: 40% international students (2023).
- Engineering: 45% migrant students (2023).
Education and Qualifications Interpretation
In a twist of academic irony, the UK's immigrant population serves as both its most educated elite and its most significant underclass, proving that the only thing more inconsistent than immigration policy is the immigrants themselves.
Employment and Labour Market
- The employment rate for non-EU born men in the UK was 75.3% in 2023, compared to 79.2% for UK-born men.
- Non-EU born women had an employment rate of 59.8% in 2023, versus 74.1% for UK-born women.
- EU-born employment rate was 78.5% for men and 67.2% for women in 2023.
- Unemployment rate for non-UK born was 5.6% in Q4 2023, higher than 3.7% for UK-born.
- 28% of the UK workforce is foreign-born (2023).
- Non-EU migrants are over-represented in low-skilled jobs at 25% share (2023).
- 41% of doctors and 28% of nurses in NHS are foreign-born (2023).
- Immigrants fill 19% of construction jobs in the UK (2023).
- Average hourly wage for non-UK born is £14.50 vs £15.20 for UK-born (2023).
- 1.4 million people on Skilled Worker visas employed in UK (2023).
- Health and Care Worker visas issued: 304,000 in 2023.
- 65,000 IT professionals sponsored on Skilled Worker visas (2023).
- Non-EU migrants have 12% unemployment rate vs 4% for UK-born in some sectors (2023).
- 23% of social care workers are foreign-born (2023).
- Migrant workers contribute £83 billion to UK GDP annually (2023 estimate).
- Over-qualification rate for non-UK born is 40% vs 10% UK-born (2023).
- 15% of UK small businesses owned by immigrants (2023).
- EU migrants have higher employment rates in professional occupations (35%) (2023).
- Non-EU migrants dominate elementary occupations at 22% share (2023).
- Inactivity rate for non-UK born women is 28% due to family care (2023).
- 60,000 temporary work visas issued in 2023.
- Youth Mobility Scheme visas: 20,000 grants in 2023.
- Global Business Mobility visas: 66,000 in 2023.
Employment and Labour Market Interpretation
While officially over-represented in "low-skilled" sectors and statistically underpaid, the undeniable economic scaffolding of the UK—from its hospitals to its high-rises—is quite literally being propped up by a foreign-born workforce whose talents and taxes keep the country upright, yet curiously under-utilised.
Health Housing and Welfare
- 30% of non-UK born report good health vs 35% UK-born (2023).
- Immigrants use 20% less GP services per capita (2023).
- 28% of NHS doctors are foreign-trained (2023).
- Asylum seekers cost £4.7 billion in accommodation (2023).
- 15% of social housing tenants are non-UK born (2023).
- Homelessness: non-UK nationals 25% of cases in England (2023).
- Welfare benefits: EEA migrants claim 40% less than UK-born (2023).
- Non-EEA migrants fiscal contribution +£3,000 per person annually (2023).
- 12% overcrowding rate in immigrant households vs 2% UK-born (2021).
- 35% of immigrants rent privately vs 20% UK-born (2023).
- Universal Credit claimants: 14% non-UK born (2023).
- Child Benefit: 10% claimed by non-UK nationals (2023).
- Pension Credit: lower uptake among immigrants at 5% (2023).
- Mental health referrals: 18% from migrant backgrounds (2023).
- Life expectancy for non-UK born men: 78.5 years vs 79.2 UK-born (2021).
- Women non-UK born: 82.1 years vs 82.9 UK-born (2021).
- Housing affordability worse for immigrants: 9.2 price-to-earnings ratio (2023).
- 22% of rough sleepers are non-UK nationals (2023).
- Immigration health surcharge raised £1.2 billion in 2023.
- 8% of council tax support recipients are non-UK born (2023).
- Disability Living Allowance: 7% claimed by EEA migrants (2023).
- Immigrants in 25% of temporary accommodation households (2023).
Health Housing and Welfare Interpretation
The immigrant experience in the UK presents a paradox of contributing significantly to public services like the NHS while often living in poorer health and more crowded housing, suggesting they are a pillar of the system yet frequently bear its hidden costs.
Population and Demographics
- As of the year ending December 2023, net migration to the UK was estimated at 685,000, the highest on record.
- The UK foreign-born population reached 10.0 million in 2023, equating to 14.8% of the total UK population.
- In 2021 Census, 16.8% of England's population (10.0 million people) were born outside the UK.
- Non-UK born residents made up 17.4% of London's population in the 2021 Census.
- The number of non-EU born people in the UK increased from 3.5 million in 2004 to 7.0 million in 2022.
- EU-born population in the UK peaked at 3.7 million in 2016 and fell to 2.9 million by 2023.
- 59% of the UK foreign-born population are of working age (16-64) compared to 62% of UK-born.
- Female immigrants comprise 52.3% of the total foreign-born population in England and Wales (2021 Census).
- The median age of non-UK born residents in the UK is 37 years, compared to 41 for UK-born.
- Asylum claims in the UK reached 74,000 in the year ending September 2023.
- 1.3 million people arrived on work visas in the year ending December 2023.
- Student visa grants totalled 486,000 in the year ending December 2023.
- Family visa grants were 82,000 in the year ending December 2023.
- Humanitarian visa grants reached 109,000 in the year ending December 2023.
- Long-term international migration to the UK was 1.2 million in the year ending December 2023.
- Emigration from the UK was 489,000 in the year ending December 2023.
- 28.5% of the UK population aged 16+ proficient in English as a main language are non-UK born (2021 Census).
- Non-UK born population in Scotland was 12.1% in 2022.
- In Northern Ireland, 10.4% of the population were born outside the UK and Ireland (2021 Census).
- Wales had 6.6% non-UK born population in the 2021 Census.
- 4.2 million non-EU citizens resided in the UK in 2023.
- 2.9 million EU citizens lived in the UK in 2023.
- The UK issued 3.4 million visas in 2023.
- 685,000 people were granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in the year ending March 2023.
- British citizenship grants totalled 240,000 in the year ending March 2023.
- 10.7% of England's working-age population are non-UK born EEA nationals (2023).
- Non-EU migrants make up 8.5% of England's working-age population (2023).
- The foreign-born share of the UK population rose from 8.9% in 2001 to 16.8% in 2021.
- 3.1 million children in England and Wales had at least one parent born outside the UK (2021 Census).
Population and Demographics Interpretation
The UK's demographic fabric is being energetically rewoven, thread by global thread, whether one views the record-breaking net migration figure of 685,000 as a vibrant tapestry of renewal or a pattern straining at its seams.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 2MIGRATIONOBSERVATORYmigrationobservatory.ox.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 3GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 4NRSCOTLANDnrscotland.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 5NISRAnisra.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 6ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 7RCNrcn.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 8SKILLSFORCAREskillsforcare.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 9OBRobr.ukVisit source
- Reference 10ENTERPRISENATIONenterprisenation.comVisit source
- Reference 11UKCISAukcisa.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 12EXPLORE-EDUCATION-STATISTICSexplore-education-statistics.service.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 13UNIVERSITIESUKuniversitiesuk.ac.ukVisit source
- Reference 14BMAbma.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 15NHSnhs.digital.ukVisit source