In 2024, approximately 948,000 million people migrated to the United Kingdom, while 517,000 people migrated from the UK, resulting in a net migration figure of 431,000. There have consistently been more people migrating to the United Kingdom than leaving it since 1993 when the net migration figure was negative 1,000. Although migration from the European Union has declined since the Brexit vote of 2016, migration from non-EU countries accelerated rapidly from 2021 onwards. In the year to June 2023, 968,000 people from non-EU countries migrated to the UK, compared with 129,000 from EU member states. Immigration and the 2024 election Since late 2022, immigration, along with the economy and healthcare, has consistently been seen by UK voters as one of the top issues facing the country. Despite a pledge to deter irregular migration via small boats, and controversial plans to send asylum applicants to Rwanda while their claims are being processed, Rishi Sunak's Conservative government lost the trust of the public on this issue. On the eve of the last election, 20 percent of Britons thought the Labour Party would be the best party to handle immigration, compared with 13 percent who thought the Conservatives would handle it better. Sunak and the Conservatives went on to lose this election, suffering their worst defeat in modern elections. Historical context of migration The first humans who arrived in the British Isles, were followed by acts of conquest and settlement from Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans. In the early modern period, there were also significant waves of migration from people fleeing religious or political persecution, such as the French Huguenots. More recently, large numbers of people also left Britain. Between 1820 and 1957, for example, around 4.5 million people migrated from Britain to America. After World War Two, immigration from Britain's colonies and former colonies was encouraged to meet labour demands. A key group that migrated from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and early 1970s became known as the Windrush generation, named after one of the ships that brought the arrivals to Britain.

Estimates for UK immigration, emigration and net migration, year ending June 2012 to year ending December 2024. These are official statistics in development. To access the most up-to-date data for each time period, please use the most recently published dataset.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.K. net migration by year from 1960 to 2024.

In 2024, the net migration figure for British citizens in the United Kingdom was negative 17,000, compared with negative 96,000 for citizens of European Union countries, and 544,000 for non-EU citizens.

In the twelve months to December 2024, approximately 948,000 people migrated to the United Kingdom, while 517,000 emigrated away from the country, resulting in a net migration figure of 431,000.

Migration in Europe in 2024 marks a return to normality after the extreme disruptions experienced in 2022. While in 2022 ******* saw the largest negative net migration balance, with almost * million of its citizens fleeing the eastern European country in the aftermath of Russia's invasion, in 2024 it is in fact the country with the largest positive net migration balance. Over **** million Ukrainians have returned to their home country from abroad, leading Poland, Romania, and Hungary to have large net migration deficits, as they were key recipient countries for Ukrainians in 2022. The other countries which experienced large positive net migration balances in 2023 are all in Western Europe, as the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Spain all remain popular destinations for migrants.

Dataset Overview

This dataset provides comprehensive statistics on migration in the United Kingdom from 1901 to 2023. It includes data on immigration, emigration, net migration, and detailed breakdowns by nationality, reason for migration, visa categories, and regional distributions. The data is sourced from the UK Parliament’s Commons Library briefing paper titled “Migration Statistics”, which aims to explain the concepts and methods used in measuring migration and offers a range of data on migration in the UK and European Union countries.

Dataset Folder: CBP06077-data.xlsx

2.2 (1) - Long-term international migration estimates in the UK

2.2 (2) - Estimated average annual net migration in the UK, 1901-2021

2.5 - Long-term international migration estimates in the UK, by nationality

2.6 (1) - Immigration by main reason for migration

2.6 (2) - Entry clearance visas granted by category, excluding tourist visas

2.6 (3) - Work visas granted by current category and prior equivalent

4.1 - Immigration and net migration of foreign nationals in EU countries and the UK, 2021

4.2 - Foreign-national and foreign-born populations of EU countries, 2021

5.1 - Estimated number of EU nationals living in the UK by nationality, 2021

5.2 - EU nationals by region, United Kingdom, 2021

5.4 (1) - Estimated number of British nationals living in EU countries, 2017

5.4 (2) - UN estimates of British citizens living in other EU countries, 2020

Cover Note - Additional information about the dataset

Dataset Contents

The dataset comprises multiple Excel files, each corresponding to specific tables and figures from the original report. Below is a detailed description of each file:

1. Long-term International Migration Estimates in the UK

•  Filename: long_term_international_migration_estimates_uk.xlsx
•  Description: Annual estimates of immigration, emigration, and net migration in the UK from 1991 to 2012.
•  Columns:
•  Year ending
•  Immigration
•  Emigration
•  Net migration

2. Estimated Average Annual Net Migration in the UK (1901-2021)

•  Filename: estimated_average_annual_net_migration_1901_2021.xlsx
•  Description: Decadal average net migration estimates based on census data from 1901 to 2012.
•  Columns:
•  Decade
•  Censuses ending
•  Average annual net migration

3. Long-term International Migration Estimates by Nationality

•  Filename: long_term_migration_by_nationality.xlsx
•  Description: Immigration, emigration, and net migration figures broken down by British, EU, and Non-EU nationals from 1991 to 2012.
•  Columns:
•  Year ending
•  Immigration: British, EU, Non-EU
•  Emigration: British, EU, Non-EU
•  Net migration: British, EU, Non-EU

4. Immigration by Main Reason for Migration

•  Filename: immigration_by_reason.xlsx
•  Description: Immigration figures categorized by main reasons such as work, accompanying/joining family, study, other, and none stated, from 1991 to 2012.
•  Columns:
•  Year ending
•  Work related
•  Accompany/Join
•  Study
•  Other
•  None Stated

5. Entry Clearance Visas Granted by Category (Excluding Tourist Visas)

•  Filename: entry_clearance_visas_granted.xlsx
•  Description: Data on entry clearance visas granted in work, study, family, and other categories from 2006 to 2024.
•  Columns:
•  Year
•  Work: Main applicants, Including dependants
•  Study: Main applicants, Including dependants
•  Family: All
•  Other: All

6. Work Visas Granted by Category

•  Filename: work_visas_granted_by_category.xlsx
•  Description: Details of work visas granted, categorized into Worker (T2), Temporary Worker (T5), Investor/Business Development/Talent (T1), and others from 2010 to 2024.
•  Columns:
•  Year
•  Worker (T2)
•  Temporary Worker (T5)
•  Investor, Business Development and Talent (T1)
•  Other
•  Total

7. Immigration and Net Migration of Foreign Nationals in EU Countries (2021)

•  Filename: immigration_net_migration_eu_2021.xlsx
•  Description: Immigration and net migration figures of foreign nationals in EU countries and the UK for the year 2021.
•  Columns:
•  Country
•  Immigration
•  Net migration

8. Foreign-national and Foreign-born Populations of EU Countries (2021)

•  Filename: foreign_population_eu_2021.xlsx
•  Description: Number and percentage of foreign-national and foreign-born populations in EU countries as of 2021.
•  Columns:
•  Country
•  FOREIGN NATIONAL: Number, As % of population
•  FOREIGN BORN: Number, As % of population
•  Total Population

9. Estimated Number of EU Nationals Living in the UK by Nationality (2021)

•  Filename: eu_nationals_in_uk_2021.xlsx
•  Description: Estimates of EU nationals residing in the UK, broken down by country of nationality for 2021.
•  Columns:
•  Country of nationality
•  Stock

10. EU Nationals by Region in the UK (2021)

•  Filename: eu_nationals_by_region_uk_2021.xlsx
•  Descri...

In the 2023 financial year, it was estimated that approximately 19.23 thousand more United Kingdom nationals migrated to Australia than emigrated. This marked a significant increase in net overseas migration from the UK to Australia compared to the previous financial year.

In 2024, the net migration rate in France reached 152,000. In recent years Europe and France have seen more people arrive than depart. The net migration rate is the difference between the number of immigrants (people coming into an area) and the number of emigrants (people leaving an area) throughout the year. France's highest net migration rate was reached in 2018 when it amounted to 201,000. Armed conflicts and economic migration are some of the reasons for immigration in Europe. The refugee crisis Studies have shown that there were 331,000 immigrant arrivals in France in 2022, which has risen since 2014. The migrant crisis, which began in 2015 in Europe, had an impact on the migration entry flows not only in France but in all European countries. The number of illegal border crossings to the EU over the Eastern Mediterranean route reached a record number of 885,386 crossings in 2015. Immigration in France Since the middle of the 19th century, France has attracted immigrants, first from European countries (like Poland, Spain, and Italy), and then from the former French colonies. In 2023, there were approximately 8.9 million people foreign-born in France. Most of them were living in the Ile-de-France region, which contains Paris, and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the Southeastern part of the country. In 2022, the majority of immigrants arriving in France were from Africa and Europe.

Net migration reached its lowest level in 1950 (-******) when the number of migrants arriving in the country was estimated at *****, compared to around ****** people departing. In 2024, there were more inflows than outflows, resulting in a net migration of nearly ***** people. Foreign migration of population For several years Poland has been witnessing a positive balance of migration. The number of immigrants reached ******, while emigration reached ****** in 2024. The main directions of permanent emigration are Germany and the United Kingdom. Immigrants coming to Poland to live permanently are mostly returning Polish emigrants. Hence, the most significant number of people came from the United Kingdom and Germany. Much larger is the scale of migration for temporary residence. There has been an increase in the number of immigrants temporarily staying in Poland recently. The number of economic immigrants is growing, especially Ukrainian citizens interested in taking up temporary employment. There is also a noticeable increase in the number of foreigners interested in continuing their education at Polish universities. The analysis of migration trends indicates that Poland is transforming from a typical emigration country into an emigration and immigration country. Internal migration of the population The period from 2017 to 2019 saw an increased number of internal movements. However, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of internal migrants fell to ******* in 2020. As a result of internal migration, rural areas gained residents. The balance of migration for rural areas amounted to nearly ****** people. In Mazowieckie, Pomorskie, Małopolskie, Dolnośląskie, and Wielkopolskie region, the inflow of population was greater than the outflow. Therefore, internal migrations caused an increase in the population of those voivodeships. The remaining voivodeships recorded a decrease. The most significant population loss in 2020 was experienced by Lubelskie and Śląskie voivodeships — this trend has been maintained for several years.

In 2020, there were approximately 815,000 Polish nationals living in the United Kingdom, the most of any European Union member state. Additionally, there were 404,000 Romanians, and 321,000 Irish nationals living in the UK in this year. Luxembourg was the EU member state with the fewest citizens living in the UK, at just 520 in 2019. In terms of British nationals living in the EU, Spain was the most popular destination, at almost 285,000 Britons, followed by France and Germany, which had British populations numbering 145,000 and 110,000 respectively. The EU settlement scheme After the Brexit referendum of 2016, the fate of EU citizens living in the UK, as well as that of British nationals in the EU, was suddenly unclear. Although the rights of EU citizens to remain in the UK was affirmed at various points during the Brexit negotiations, the EU settlement scheme to handle this issue wasn't launched until 2019. As of March 2024, there have been almost 7.9 million applications to this scheme, with Romanian nationals being the most common nationality, followed by 1.23 million applications from Polish nationals, and 686,820 from Italian nationals. Migration still one of the top issues for voters In June 2024, immigration was seen as the third most important issue for voters, and was consistently ahead of many other issues in the months leading up to UK's 2024 general election. Net migration to the UK has risen sharply since 2021, reaching 745,000 in 2022, and remaining high in 2023. Although there has been a clear decline in net migration from EU nationals since the Brexit vote, there has been a far larger increase in non-EU net migration. Despite, pledging to bring immigration down, the previous Conservative government gradually lost trust on this issue with voters, with just 15 percent seeing them as the best party at dealing with immigration, compared with 20 percent who thought Labour would handle it best.

Colombia ranked as the country of origin of the largest immigration group arriving into Spain in 2023, as revealed by the latest data. Over 170,000 people migrated from the South American country to Spain that year. The second largest group was comprised by Moroccans with around 122,000 newcomers. A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2023, Moroccans ranked first as the foreign nationality residing Spain, followed by people from Romania and the Colombians. Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East and Africa. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately 15 million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2023. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood over eight million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died or gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

In the 3 years to March 2021, white British families were the most likely to receive a type of state support.

As recorded by the source, Moroccans ranked as the foreign nationality with more residents in Spain in 2023, closely followed by Romanians. After years of losing its foreign population, Spain’s immigration figures started to pick up in 2015, with the number of people that moved to the Mediterranean country surpassing the number of foreigners that decided to leave.

A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2022, Colombians ranked first as the foreign nationality that most relocated to Spain, distantly followed by Moroccans and Ukranians.

Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately 15 million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2022. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood slightly over seven million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died ore gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.

Cambridge was the fastest growing city in the United Kingdom between 2013 and 2023, with its population increasing by 17.3 percent. Exeter, Milton Keynes, and Peterborough also grew quite fast, with their populations increasing by 15.2 percent, 14.9 percent, and 14 percent, respectively. Largest UK urban areas When looking at cities defined by their urban agglomerations, as of 2023, London had approximately 9.65 million people living there, far larger than any other city in the United Kingdom. The urban agglomeration around the city of Birmingham had a population of approximately 2.67 million, while the urban areas around Manchester and Leeds had populations of 2.79 and 1.92 million respectively. London not only dominated other UK cities in terms of its population, but in its importance to the UK economy. In 2023, the gross domestic product of Greater London was approximately 569 billion British pounds, compared with 101 billion for Greater Manchester, and 85 billion in the West Midlands Metropolitan Area centered around Birmingham. UK population growth In 2023, the overall population of the United Kingdom was estimated to have reached approximately 68.3 million, compared with around 58.9 million in 2000. Since 1970, 2023 was also the year with the highest population growth rate, growing by 0.98 percent, and was at its lowest in 1982 when it shrank by 0.12 percent. Although the UK's birth rate has declined considerably in recent years, immigration to the UK has been high enough to drive population growth in the UK, which has had a positive net migration rate since 1994.

In financial year 2023, it was estimated that 64.32 thousand more Chinese migrated to Australia than emigrated. This marked a significant increase in Chinese net migration compared to 14.72 thousand people in the previous financial year.

The Chinese community in Australia

Chinese migration to Australia dates back to the Australian gold rush of the 1850s and 60s, however, exclusionary migration policies up until the 1970’s restricted migration from China for some time. Since then, immigration from China has increased steadily and Chinese migrants now represent Australia’s third largest migrant group after the UK and India. The 2016 Australian census showed that Mandarin was the second most common language spoken at home in Australia, and Cantonese came in fourth. The Australian Chinese community also includes a significant proportion of the international students from China choosing to study in Australia.

Chinese investment in Australia

Although foreign investment in Australia still comes primarily from its traditional trade partners, the United States and the United Kingdom, Chinese investment has been increasing in recent years. The bulk of Chinese investment in Australia goes toward commercial real estate and agribusiness. In New South Wales alone, real estate investment from China totaled almost 1.25 billion Australian dollars, which accounted for around a half of all Chinese real estate investment in the country. By comparison, in 2019 the import value of Australian food products to China displayed yet another year on year increase, totaling more than two billion U.S. dollars.

Among countries with the highest number of overseas Chinese on each continent, the largest Chinese diaspora community is living in Indonesia, numbering more than ten million people. Most of these people are descendants from migrants born in China, who have moved to Indonesia a long time ago. On the contrary, a large part of overseas Chinese living in Canada and Australia have arrived in these countries only during the last two decades. China as an emigration country Many Chinese people have emigrated from their home country in search of better living conditions and educational chances. The increasing number of Chinese emigrants has benefited from loosened migration policies. On the one hand, the attitude of the Chinese government towards emigration has changed significantly. Overseas Chinese are considered to be strong supporters for the overall strength of Chinese culture and international influence. On the other hand, migration policies in the United States and Canada are changing with time, expanding migration opportunities for non-European immigrants. As a result, China has become one of the world’s largest emigration countries as well as the country with the highest outflows of high net worth individuals. However, the mass emigration is causing a severe loss of homegrown talents and assets. The problem of talent and wealth outflow has raised pressing questions to the Chinese government, and a solution to this issue is yet to be determined. Popular destinations among Chinese emigrants Over the last decades, English speaking developed countries have been popular destinations for Chinese emigrants. In 2022 alone, the number of people from China naturalized as U.S. citizens had amounted to over 27,000 people, while nearly 68,000 had obtained legal permanent resident status as “green card” recipients. Among other popular immigration destinations for Chinese riches are Canada, Australia, Europe, and Singapore.