NET migration to Britain hit a record of more than 900,000 in 2023, much higher than original estimates, although tougher visa rules have started to reduce the number of arrivals, official data showed.
In the year ending June 2024, most non-EU immigrants coming to the UK for work (116,000) or study (127,000) were from India, data from the Office for National Statistics on Thursday (28) showed.
The top five non-EU nationalities for long-term immigration to the UK were: Indians (240,000), Nigerians (120,000), Pakistanis (101,000), Chinese (78,000), and Zimbabweans (36,000) during the period.
Immigration is a big political issue in the country, where voters worry that already stretched public services cannot cope with such large numbers arriving, but sectors such as healthcare say they cannot function without foreign workers.
Data revealed a net migration of 906,000 for the year to the end of June 2023, revised up from the previous estimate of 740,000, in what the ONS described as “unprecedented levels” since 2021.
Numbers did fall 20 per cent from the record high to 728,000 for the year to the end of June 2024, the ONS said, driven by declining numbers of dependants coming with those on study visas after the rules were changed.
The big jump to 2023 numbers was attributed to more available data, more information on Ukraine visas and improvements to how it estimates migration, the ONS said.
Migration minister Seema Malhotra said the government was committed to “ensure those who abuse our immigration system face the strongest possible consequences”.
“No longer will employers be able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay if they choose not to recruit domestically,” she added.
Tories won a landslide under the leadership of Boris Johnson at the 2019 election, largely on a promise to bring net migration numbers down.
The party repeatedly promised that leaving the European Union, which ended the free movement of people from member states, would allow the UK to “take back control” of its borders.
But regular migration has soared since Britain formally left the EU in January 2020. In 2021, net migration was 488,000.
Responding to the latest numbers, shadow home secretary Chris Philp MP said, “Today’s figures confirm what we’ve been warning about: immigration remains far too high, and Labour was wrong to suspend further restrictions on family visas.
“Such high numbers place mounting pressure on housing, public services, and damage social cohesion, causing a real impact felt by communities across the UK.”
The Tory lawmaker stressed the urgency of implementing stricter border controls, reducing immigration numbers, and prioritising the needs of British workers and families.
The Labour government warned on Thursday that employers who flout visa rules or fail to pay the minimum wage could face lengthy bars from hiring foreign workers.
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