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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rise in immigrants coming to UK | Rise in immigrants coming to UK |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Immigration to the UK continued to rise last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). | Immigration to the UK continued to rise last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
| About 590,000 people came to live in Britain in 2008, compared with 574,000 the year before, figures showed. | About 590,000 people came to live in Britain in 2008, compared with 574,000 the year before, figures showed. |
| However, a growing number of people have been leaving the UK permanently. About 427,000 people emigrated last year, up from 341,000 in 2007. | However, a growing number of people have been leaving the UK permanently. About 427,000 people emigrated last year, up from 341,000 in 2007. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said most of this rise was because of non-UK citizens returning home. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said most of this rise was because of non-UK citizens returning home. |
| Overall, net migration - the difference between those coming in and going out of the country - fell in 2008 by 70,000 to 163,000. | Overall, net migration - the difference between those coming in and going out of the country - fell in 2008 by 70,000 to 163,000. |
| Levels of immigration to the UK are just marginally below the 2006 record of 596,000 immigrants. | |
| Of those leaving the country, the ONS said Poland was the most popular country to head to, with 50,000 people bound there in 2008. | |
| It added there was a large increase in the number of people emigrating for work-related reasons, particularly those with a fixed job to take up. | |
| In 2008, some 136,000 people emigrated from the UK to start a definite job, compared with 100,000 a year earlier. |