Newly launched information from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics reveals an estimated internet migration to the UK of 728,000 for the 12 months ending June 2024, marking a 20% drop from 906,000 in June 2023.
The lower is partly attributed to a decline in college students bringing dependents, in keeping with ONS director of inhabitants statistics Mary Gregory.
In Might 2023, in a bid to scale back internet migration, the earlier Conservative authorities introduced a rule banning most worldwide college students from bringing dependants with them whereas they research. This rule, which doesn’t apply to college students on research-based postgraduate packages or these sponsored by the federal government, got here into impact on January 1 2024.
“Since 2021, long-term worldwide migration to the UK has been at unprecedented ranges. This has been pushed by a wide range of elements, together with the battle in Ukraine, the results of the post-Brexit immigration system and pent-up demand for study-related immigration due to journey restrictions through the coronavirus pandemic,” mentioned Gregory.
“Within the 12 months to June 2024 we’ve seen a fall in immigration, pushed by declining numbers of dependants on study-related visas from exterior the EU,” she continued.
Nevertheless, ONS notes that as most programs begin within the autumn, scholar arrivals within the first six months of 12 months are usually comparatively low.
“The impacts of this coverage change usually tend to be mirrored in information from July 2024 onwards,” the ONS instructed.
Commenting on the general internet migration figures, prime minister Keir Starmer mentioned: “Because the ONS units out, practically a million individuals got here to Britain within the 12 months ending June 2023. That’s 4 instances the migration ranges in contrast with 2019.”
In a press convention on November 28, Starmer introduced that authorities shall be publishing a whitepaper imminently which units out a plan to scale back immigration, with the Migration Advisory Committee already conducting a evaluation.
Practically a million individuals got here to Britain within the 12 months ending June 2023. That’s 4 instances the migration ranges in contrast with 2019.
Keir Starmer, UK prime minister
In the identical week, the Dwelling Workplace launched its quarterly immigration statistics which signalled some 392,969 visas have been issued to worldwide college students between the months October 2023 and September 2024 – a determine that’s down 19% in comparison with the earlier 12 months, however nearly 50% increased than pre-pandemic.
In accordance with the information, the variety of visas granted to dependents fell to 46,961 – a 69% drop in contrast with the 12 months earlier than, although the determine is nearly thrice increased than in 2019.
Within the first 9 months following the brand new guidelines on college students bringing dependants – January to September 2024 – the variety of sponsored research dependant visas granted fell by 84% in comparison with the identical interval in 2023, from 114,293 to 17,978.
“The restrictions may have partly impacted the variety of essential applicant visas granted, which decreased by 16% over the identical interval. Coverage modifications are one in every of quite a lot of elements which will have impacted visa utility volumes,” the Dwelling Workplace assertion learn.
Supply: Dwelling Workplace immigration system statistics, 12 months ending September 2024
A spokesperson for the Russell Group commented: “The most recent figures affirm that modifications to immigration guidelines launched by the earlier authorities, alongside different world elements, have pushed worldwide scholar numbers down considerably.
“Campuses throughout the UK will miss out on the enriching variety of experiences and views that worldwide college students carry. The financial influence will even be substantial, risking fewer alternatives for dwelling college students, much less spending in native communities and extra strain on R&D budgets – and this dataset could not but present the total extent of the influence.
“With worldwide college students contributing £37.4bn to the UK economic system yearly, reversing this downward pattern shall be essential to the federal government’s development mission.
The optimistic tone taken by the training secretary and different senior ministers in the direction of worldwide college students could be very welcome and has already been nicely obtained in key abroad markets.
“Paired with a brand new, bold worldwide technique for increased training and constant visa insurance policies, this will make an enormous distinction in signalling that the UK stays a welcoming vacation spot for college students.”
