December 02, 2016

UK net migration remains high

Net migration remains near record levels, totaling 335,000 in the year to June, the second-highest number on record, reports the UK’s Office for National Statistics.
A record number of EU citizens also came to live in Britain (284,000; net migration—those arriving minus those leaving—totaled 189,000). The figures mostly cover the period before the EU referendum vote.

The UK government is committed to reducing net migration, the control of which was a major subject of debate prior to the referendum.
Whilst 311,000 people came to live in the UK for work-related reasons, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of people who were looking for work, 130,000, compared to 107,000 in the previous year.

Ministers hope the numbers will come down once they are able to exert more control over EU migration after the UK leaves the Union. However, that will depend on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations. One approach could be to limit travel to those who have a firm offer of employment.
Romania, for the first time, was the country with the highest number of migrants to the UK (54,000). China was in second place with 44,000 followed by Poland at 38,000 and India with 36,000.

The head of international migration statistics at the ONS, Nicola White, said it was "too early to say what effect, if any, the EU referendum has had on long-term international migration."

Massimilano Tani has written about using points systems for selecting migrants for IZA World of Labor. He says “Restricting immigration to young and skilled immigrants using a point system, as in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, succeeds in selecting economically desirable immigrants and provides orderly management of population growth. But the point system cannot fix short-term skilled labor shortages in a timely manner nor prevent poor labor market outcomes for immigrants, since domestic employers can undervalue schooling and work experience acquired abroad. Furthermore, the efficacy of a point system can be compromised if unscreened visa categories receive higher priority.”

Related articles:
Using a point system for selecting immigrants, by Massimiliano Tani
Also see our curated content on migration policy.