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| Net migration to UK hits record high of 330,000 | Net migration to UK hits record high of 330,000 |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Annual net migration to Britain has hit a record level of 330,000 – 10,000 higher than its previous high in 2005, according to the Office for National Statistics. | Annual net migration to Britain has hit a record level of 330,000 – 10,000 higher than its previous high in 2005, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
| The 94,000 rise in overall net migration in the 12 months to March was fuelled by a rise of 84,000 in immigration to 636,000 and a fall of 9,000 in emigration, according to the latest quarterly figures. | The 94,000 rise in overall net migration in the 12 months to March was fuelled by a rise of 84,000 in immigration to 636,000 and a fall of 9,000 in emigration, according to the latest quarterly figures. |
| The rise is split between a 56,000 increase in the numbers coming to live in Britain from within the European Union and a 39,000 rise in those from outside the EU. | The rise is split between a 56,000 increase in the numbers coming to live in Britain from within the European Union and a 39,000 rise in those from outside the EU. |
| Related: Migration figures: what do the numbers really mean? | Related: Migration figures: what do the numbers really mean? |
| The latest rise in net migration has been mainly driven by a continuing rise in those coming to work in Britain who account for 65,000 of the increase. Nearly two-thirds of those already had a job to come to. There has been a near doubling in the number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to Britain, from 28,000 to 53,000 in the last 12 months. | The latest rise in net migration has been mainly driven by a continuing rise in those coming to work in Britain who account for 65,000 of the increase. Nearly two-thirds of those already had a job to come to. There has been a near doubling in the number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to Britain, from 28,000 to 53,000 in the last 12 months. |
| The 330,000 record high in net migration is 10,000 higher than the previous peak of 320,000 recorded in 2005, soon after Poland and other east European states joined the EU. The net migration figure is politically significant, since David Cameron renewed the Conservatives’ pledge to reduce it to the “tens of thousands” immediately after the general election. | The 330,000 record high in net migration is 10,000 higher than the previous peak of 320,000 recorded in 2005, soon after Poland and other east European states joined the EU. The net migration figure is politically significant, since David Cameron renewed the Conservatives’ pledge to reduce it to the “tens of thousands” immediately after the general election. |
| The latest quarterly migration figures, covering the 12 months to March 2015, published on Thursday also show that the number of foreign-born people living in Britain has passed the 8 million mark for the first time and that more than 3 million of them have become British citizens since arriving in the UK. | The latest quarterly migration figures, covering the 12 months to March 2015, published on Thursday also show that the number of foreign-born people living in Britain has passed the 8 million mark for the first time and that more than 3 million of them have become British citizens since arriving in the UK. |
| The immigration minister, James Brokenshire, said the new figures showing net migration 220,000 higher than the government’s 100,000 target – and rising – were “deeply disappointing”. | The immigration minister, James Brokenshire, said the new figures showing net migration 220,000 higher than the government’s 100,000 target – and rising – were “deeply disappointing”. |
| He said: “We have slashed student fraud, struck off nearly 900 bogus colleges, and toughened access to welfare and housing. But with nearly 100,000 non-EU students remaining in the UK at the end of their courses and British business still overly reliant on foreign workers in a number of sectors there is much more to do.” | He said: “We have slashed student fraud, struck off nearly 900 bogus colleges, and toughened access to welfare and housing. But with nearly 100,000 non-EU students remaining in the UK at the end of their courses and British business still overly reliant on foreign workers in a number of sectors there is much more to do.” |
| The minister said the government had asked for official advice on reducing economic migration from outside the EU as well as negotiating labour market and welfare reforms within Europe. | The minister said the government had asked for official advice on reducing economic migration from outside the EU as well as negotiating labour market and welfare reforms within Europe. |
| But the business organisation London First warned the government not to use the record figure as an excuse to limit the sort of positive immigration that grows the economy. | But the business organisation London First warned the government not to use the record figure as an excuse to limit the sort of positive immigration that grows the economy. |
| “Our world-beating industries need access to talent and skills from around the world in order to remain global leaders,” said Mark Hilton, London First’s immigration policy director. “But they are struggling to bring in the talent we lack because they’re hitting government limits for skilled workers.” | “Our world-beating industries need access to talent and skills from around the world in order to remain global leaders,” said Mark Hilton, London First’s immigration policy director. “But they are struggling to bring in the talent we lack because they’re hitting government limits for skilled workers.” |
| “We need to make strategic decisions on immigration, not knee-jerk ones that fail to take account of the needs of the economy.” | “We need to make strategic decisions on immigration, not knee-jerk ones that fail to take account of the needs of the economy.” |
| The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the figures showed that Cameron needed to replace his failed immigration target with a sensible plan which properly separated immigration and asylum. | |
| “The net migration target treats immigration and asylum as the same. That is morally wrong and is preventing Britain playing its part in responding to the terrible refugee crisis that stems from Syria and has spread across Europe. We have a long tradition of providing sanctuary for those fleeing conflict and persecution abroad - yet we are completely failing to live up to that tradition now. Other countries round the world are doing their bit. It is time Britain did too,” she said. | |
| The detailed ONS figures show that Mediterranean refugee crisis is not driving the surge in migration to Britain. There were only 25,771 new asylum seekers came to Britain in the 12 months to June –a 10% rise on the previous year but far below the 84.000 peak seen in 2002. | |
| The largest number of asylum seekers came from Eritrea (3,568), Pakistan (2,302) and Syria (2,204). Amnesty International voiced alarm over a sharp rise from 14% to 66% in the refusal rate of asylum applications from Eritreans between April and June this year. They said they feared the Home Office was relying on controversial research from the Danish immigration service which played down human rights violations in Eritrea despite thousands of political prisoners and widespread use of torture in prisons. | |
| The flow of asylum seekers is only a minor factor in the growth of migration to Britain. More than 290,000 of the record 636,000 new migrants in the year to March came to work continuing a long-term upward trend. | |
| The ONS say that 61% of all EU new migrants arriving had a definite job to go to undermining claims that ‘benefit tourism’ is the key factor. Figures for new national insurance registrations indicate that the top nationalities of new migrants for work are Romania, Poland, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, India and China. | |
| Labour market figures show that the foreign nationals accounted for 75% of the growth of 342,000 in employment in Britain in the 12 months to June reversing a previous trend for stronger growth in employment of British workers. | |
| The detailed ONS figures the number of overseas students coming to Britain increased by 8,000 to 188,000 with the largest numbers coming from China and India. Home Office visa figures show Chinese students now account for one third of the total. The numbers of Bangladeshi students is down by 1,671, a fall of more than 50% and Indian student numbers are also down 10% by 1,251. | |
| The detailed Home Office figures show that enforced removals of illegal migrants have changed little over the past year at 12,609 but that the numbers locked up in immigration removal centres has risen by 11% to 3,418 detained in June. A total of 216 people have been detained for longer than a year for immigration reasons. | |
| The impact of the Calais migrant crisis has driven immigration to the top of voters’ concerns according to an Ipsos Mori poll earlier this month, with more than 50% of voters naming it as a major issue issue facing the country. This was an eight-point jump compared with the June poll in the same series. | The impact of the Calais migrant crisis has driven immigration to the top of voters’ concerns according to an Ipsos Mori poll earlier this month, with more than 50% of voters naming it as a major issue issue facing the country. This was an eight-point jump compared with the June poll in the same series. |