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# Migration Watch UK

Independent UK-based think tank focused on immigration and asylum policy research

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Housing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/housing/) - The UK has a housing crisis because supply is insufficient for current population growth. Home ownership is falling and a growing number of young people have to live with their parents due to high rents. Immigration is a critical factor. For example, it drove up house prices in England by about 20% between 1991 and
- [Taking Back Control? Brexit and Migration Ten Years On](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/taking-back-control-brexit-and-migration-ten-years-on/) - A decade after the Brexit referendum, the promise to “take back control” of immigration has not been delivered, according to a major new report from the independent think tank Migration Watch UK.
- [Demography is Destiny](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/demography-is-destiny/) - The children filling classrooms in 2026 will be the voters, workers and parents of the 2060s. The latest statistics from the Department for Education show a country being remade from the bottom up. White British pupils now account for less than 60% of the state-school population, down from around 70% in the 2010s and roughly 90% in the 1990s.
- [The Death of Henry Nowak](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-death-of-henry-nowak/) - Much has been written and said about the tragic murder of young Henry Nowak and the sentencing of his killer, Vickrum Digwa, by politicians such as Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage, Nick Timothy, and Lord Frost. The brilliant Douglas Murray also devoted his column in The Spectator to Henry Nowak. I agree with all of them, as, I am sure, does the majority of the British public.
- [Migration Watch Uk Comment On Post-Brexit Transition Period](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-post-brexit-transition-period/) - Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “The PM is absolutely right to insist that those who arrive after Brexit should no longer acquire the automatic right to permanent residence. The EU demand is unreasonable. With half a million adult EU citizens registering for a National Insurance number in the UK every year
- [22nd May 2026: New Polling from Migration Watch Shows Extent of Political Betrayal on Demographic Change](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/22nd-may-2026-new-polling-from-migration-watch-shows-extent-of-political-betrayal-on-demographic-change/) - When Migration Watch was founded in 2001, the prevailing orthodoxy in Westminster was that mass immigration was an unalloyed good: economically beneficial, culturally enriching, and even questioning these assumptions marked one as beyond the pale. We set out to change that, armed with rigorous, evidence-based analysis. Over two decades later, positions we once advocated in near-isolation have become the settled consensus of mainstream British politics.
- [15th May 2026: Where Migration Watch Leads, Others Follow](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/15th-may-2026-where-migration-watch-leads-others-follow/) - When Migration Watch was founded in 2001, the prevailing orthodoxy in Westminster was that mass immigration was an unalloyed good: economically beneficial, culturally enriching, and even questioning these assumptions marked one as beyond the pale. We set out to change that, armed with rigorous, evidence-based analysis. Over two decades later, positions we once advocated in near-isolation have become the settled consensus of mainstream British politics.
- [8th May 2026: Border chief resigns after failing to cut crossings, and Matt Goodwin's book sparks debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/8th-may-2026-border-chief-resigns-after-failing-to-cut-crossings-and-matt-goodwins-book-sparks-debate/) - The total number of illegal migrants to have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the government began counting in 2018 has this week passed 200,000 – a population the size of York or Norwich. Of those ~200,000, just 7,612 have been deported, or about 4%.
- [Public Attitudes to Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/public-attitudes-to-migration/) - In November 2025, Migration Watch UK commissioned JL Partners to conduct a nationally representative poll of 1,520 UK adults on public attitudes toward net migration levels, the perceived impact of migration across eight policy areas, and views on long-term demographic change. The results show settled, cross-party, public majority concern about the scale of recent migration
- [The public have spoken. They agree migration is out of control.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-public-have-spoken-they-agree-migration-is-out-of-control/) - For 25 years, Migration Watch UK has made the case that net migration to this country has reached levels the public never asked for and the country cannot sustain. We have published the research, engaged the politicians, and put the evidence in front of anyone willing to look. And for much of that time, the
- [Visa routes & programmes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-routes-programmes/) - PrevPreviousPeople & status categories NextImmigration status & leaveNext Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The official pathways through which people may come to the UK to work, study, join family, or seek protection. Points-Based System (PBS) The framework introduced in 2008 and substantially reformed after Brexit, through which the UK manages immigration for
- [Immigration status & leave](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-status-leave/) - PrevPreviousVisa routes & programmes NextAsylum systemNext The legal permissions that determine whether someone may enter, stay in, or settle permanently in the UK. Table of Contents Leave to enter Permission granted by an immigration officer at the UK border for a person to enter the country. It specifies the conditions of the person’s stay, including
- [Asylum system](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-system/) - PrevPreviousImmigration status & leave NextEnforcement, returns & removalsNext Return to the Migration Glossary The process by which people fleeing persecution claim protection in the UK, from initial application through decision and appeal. Table of Contents Asylum claim / application A formal request made to the Home Office by a person seeking protection in the UK
- [People & status categories](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/people-status-categories/) - Return to the Migration Glossary NextVisa routes & programmesNext The different types of people involved in migration, from tourists and students to refugees, citizens, and those without legal status. Table of Contents Migrant A person who moves from one country to another. In UK statistics, this typically refers to someone who changes their country of
- [Policy & legal framework](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/policy-legal-framework/) - PrevPreviousInstitutions & bodies Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The laws, rules, and policies that govern the UK immigration system, from primary legislation to operational guidance. Immigration Rules The detailed legal framework, laid before Parliament by the Home Secretary, governing who may enter and remain in the UK and under what conditions. Originally
- [Institutions & bodies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/institutions-bodies/) - PrevPreviousStatistics & measurement NextPolicy & legal frameworkNext Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The government departments, agencies, courts, and advisory bodies responsible for managing and scrutinising immigration in the UK. Home Office The UK government department responsible for immigration, border security, policing, and counter-terrorism. Within immigration, it includes UK Visas and Immigration, Immigration
- [Statistics & measurement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/statistics-measurement/) - PrevPreviousIrregular migration NextInstitutions & bodiesNext Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The data sources, definitions, and methods used to count and track migration flows and the migrant population. Net migration The difference between the number of people arriving in the UK to live (immigration) and the number leaving (emigration), over a given period.
- [Irregular migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/irregular-migration/) - PrevPreviousEnforcement, returns & removals NextStatistics & measurementNext Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents Migration that takes place outside legal channels, including Channel crossings, clandestine entry, overstaying, and people smuggling. Irregular migration / unauthorised migration Migration that takes place outside official, legal channels. In the UK context, it includes clandestine entry, Channel crossings in
- [Enforcement, returns & removals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/enforcement-returns-removals/) - PrevPreviousAsylum system NextIrregular migrationNext Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The powers and processes used to enforce immigration law and remove people with no right to remain. Enforced removal The compulsory return of a person to their country of origin or a safe third country by the Home Office, against their will. It
- [Analysis of ONS National Population Projections](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/analysis-of-ons-national-population-projections/) - On 28 April 2026, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its 2024-based National Population Projections, a 100-year modelling projection covering the UK and its constituent countries. While of course any projections for such an extended period of time are highly speculative, the immediate projection for the next 10 to 30 years are instructive: should
- [Democracy At Work](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/democracy-at-work/) - While the votes are still being counted in some areas of the country, the message from Thursday’s elections, especially in England and Wales, is unmistakable. The voters have delivered their verdict on the political establishment: “we have had enough of you”.
- [April 24th 2026: Reform UK pledges to review asylum grants, and Sir Keir Starmer hands over more taxpayer cash to France for yet another small boats "deal"](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/april-24th-2026-reform-uk-pledges-to-review-asylum-grants-and-sir-keir-starmer-hands-over-more-taxpayer-cash-to-france-for-yet-another-small-boats-deal/) - This week, Reform UK announced plans to review all asylum grants made in the past five years should the party win the next general election. Around 400,000 people who entered illegally, overstayed visas, or came from countries now deemed safe would be stripped of their status and deported.
- [May 1st 2026: ONS warns of rampant population growth, and leading research body publishes draft bill for ECHR withdrawal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/may-1st-2026-ons-warns-of-rampant-population-growth-and-leading-research-body-publishes-draft-bill-for-echr-withdrawal/) - The ONS published its 2024-based National Population Projections this week, confirming what Migration Watch has warned for nearly two decades: without a change in policy, the UK's population will surge past 70 million by the mid 2030s, driven entirely by migration.
- [Restore The First Chance Rule](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/restore-the-first-chance-rule/) - The ‘First Chance’ rule – also known as the ‘Resident Labour Market Test’ – is an immigration safeguard that means UK workers have the first opportunity to apply for job openings before such vacancies are offered overseas. It has now been scrapped – from 1 January 2021. This despite the fact that the official expert
- [Simplification Of Immigration Law: Tidying Up Legislation](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/simplification-of-immigration-law-tidying-up-legislation/) - Submission by Migrationwatch in response to the Border & Immigration Agency of the Home OfficeConsultation Document. The Border and Immigration Agency of the Home Office (successor to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate) recently published a consultation paper……. The latest addition, the UK Borders Bill, is another substantial piece of legislation currently going through the House of
- [House Prices Crisis: Many Scapegoats Few Solutions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-prices-crisis-many-scapegoats-few-solutions/) - A letter from Sir Andrew Green, The Times, London Sir, The prediction that, by 2026, the average home in Englandwill cost ten times average earnings is based on demand outstrippingsupply. Components of this demand include the increase in the number ofadults, pensioners and single households. But the largest element ofdemand is immigration, which will account for
- [Social Housing Shows 40,000 Deficit Because Of Record Asylum Numbers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/social-housing-shows-40000-deficit-because-of-record-asylum-numbers/) - The unprecedented number of asylum-seekersgranted permission to stay in the UK in recent years has exceeded thenumber of new social houses built in the period by nearly 40,000, saysa new report out today: The impact of asylum on social housing. Ina short summary of the position – following the comments from DagenhamMP and Government Minister, Margaret
- [Come To Slough, Everyone Else Has ..the Legal Tangle](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/come-to-slough-everyone-else-has-the-legal-tangle/) - by Sir Andrew GreenThe Sunday Times, News Review, London, Some days ago a newspaper published a photograph of 21 membersof a Roma family. Apparently there are another 80, all relatives andall newly arrived since Romania joined the EU in January. A socialworker in Slough explained she had nine teenage Roma girls, several ofwhom were pregnant,
- [Counting The Costs Of Increasing Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/counting-the-costs-of-increasing-immigration/) - A Letter from Sir Andrew Green, The Times, London Sir, The pace of immigration is 25 times that of the only two numerically significant immigrations in the past 1,000 years of English history – the Huguenots in the late 17th century and the Jews in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is clear that we
- [‘this Would Only Make A Bad Situation Worse’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/this-would-only-make-a-bad-situation-worse/) - CommentaryBy Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UKThe Daily Telegraph Welcome to Great Britain – the softest touch in the world. That is themessage sent out by yesterday’s demonstration in Trafalgar Square. Itmay have been well intentioned – but it was also deeply misguided. Theimmigration lobby, together with some church leaders are proposing thatillegal immigrants
- [Economics Of Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/economics-of-migration/) - A letter from Sir Andrew GreenThe Tablet, London Your leader article ("What migrants do for us", 6 January) described as "tendentious" Migrationwatch analysis which suggested that the economic benefit of migration is marginal. Some government ministers still claim that immigrants comprise 8 per cent of the workforce while contributing 10 per cent of GDP. This has been
- [“strangers Into Citizens”?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/strangers-into-citizens/) - IntroductionThe Roman Catholic Church and others are supporting a “strangers into citizens”campaign. This note summarises the case against it. The ProposalThe proposal is that “undocumentedmigrants” who have been living (illegally) in Britain for four yearsshould be allowed to earn citizenship over a further two year periodduring which they would be allowed to work, provided that they
- [Government Were Warned Over Security Weaknesses Of Visa System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-were-warned-over-security-weaknesses-of-visa-system/) - It emerged today that the Government were warned two years ago that thesystem of visa checks was inadequate for countries where there wereparticular concerns over terrorism. Think-tank Migrationwatch issued a warningon 23 August, 2005 that pressure on our visa sections could compromisesecurity. The report said that large numbers of people from countriesof concern were, in effect,
- [New Uk Human Rights Laws Needed To Counter New Threat](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-uk-human-rights-laws-needed-to-counter-new-threat/) - The terrorist suspects arrested this week will be able to remain in Britain indefinitely and at public expense whether or not they are found guilty. That is the conclusion of a report issued today by the think-tank Migrationwatch which also recommends that we pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and write our own
- [Big Majority For Human Rights Opt-out Over Terror Threat](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/big-majority-for-human-rights-opt-out-over-terror-threat/) - There is overwhelming public support for a much tougher line to be taken against terrorists and suspected terrorists including withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights reveals a new poll out today. A YouGov pollconducted on behalf of think-tank MigrationWatch showed that, when asked if the UK should renounce its membership of the Convention in order to
- [Migrationwatch Comment On Green Paper On Housing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-comment-on-green-paper-on-housing/) - The Government’s Green Paper, published on July 23, on the supply of housing is notable for one major omission – it ignores the fact that of the three million homes the Prime Minister says are to be built by 2020, one million will be needed for new immigrants. Even that estimate assumes that immigration will fall
- [Counting The Cost Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/counting-the-cost-of-immigration/) - Philip Johnston’s article in the Daily Telegraph today states that ‘The Government’s plan for three million new houses; the misery caused to thousands of families whose homes were built on flood plains because of a shortage of space; Labour’s new transport "strategy", necessitated by overcrowded trains and the requirement for additional rolling stock and longer platforms; the
- [Latest Immigration Figures ‘not Credible’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/latest-immigration-figures-not-credible/) - Figures out today from the Office of National Statistics regarding the numbers of East Europeans coming to the UK are ‘simply not credible’ says think-tank Migrationwatch. They show, say the ONS, that in the period mid 2005 to mid 2006 there was a fall of 17,000 to 57,000, which amounts to only 1 in 5 of net
- [Forced Marriage (civil Protection) Act 2007](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/forced-marriage-civil-protection-act-2007/) - This Act received Royal Assent on 26 July 2007 and is to be brought into force by the Lord Chancellor in due course. It was introduced originally in the House of Lords by Lord Lester, a distinguished human rights lawyer, as a private member’s Bill, but was adopted by the government and passed by both Houses
- [Immigration Divides England Into Two Zones](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-divides-england-into-two-zones/) - Commentary News today that one in four children born in Britain has a foreign parent is clearest possible evidence of the effect of mass immigration on our society. Many people simply don’t understand how this could have happened without anyone being consulted and they are deeply concerned about the future. Is it a cock up or a
- [Amnesty For Illegals Not A ‘benefit’ But A Major Liability](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/amnesty-for-illegals-not-a-benefit-but-a-major-liability/) - Instead of “netting” £1 billion pounds annually for the Treasury an amnesty for illegal immigrants would in fact cost the taxpayer between £0.8 billion and £1.8 billion a year, says a new report out today. A recent paper from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claimed that an amnesty for illegal immigrants could provide extra revenue
- [Tuc Report On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tuc-report-on-immigration/) - The TUC have not woken up to the impact of mass immigration, despite the arrival last year of nearly three quarters of a million foreign workers. Indeed, they are failing to defend the interests of their own members by promoting the ‘benefits’ of the current mass immigration while largely ignoring the downsides, says a report out today.
- [The Chindamo Case](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-chindamo-case-2/) - Chindamo was born in Italy in 1980 of a Philippina mother and Italian father. His mother obtained a legal separation from the father on grounds of violent behaviour. She obtained a residence permit as an EEA national exercising Treaty rights and the appellant arrived in the United Kingdom with her in January 1987. In December
- [Why One Size Does Not Fit All](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-one-size-does-not-fit-all/) - Eurobabble is the only word to describe yesterday’s speech on immigration by Franco Frattini. Yet again the "one size fits all" approach of the European Commission produces a result that is a nonsense for Britain Immigration, he declared, is the key answer to a declining population. There is just one problem with that. England’s population is not declining.
- [At Last, A Big Idea From The Libdems. Pity It’s Such A Foolish One](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/at-last-a-big-idea-from-the-libdems-pity-its-such-a-foolish-one/) - Commentaryby Sir Andrew Green At last the LibDems have noticed that we have a problem over immigration. For years they have been in denial but yesterday’s conference debate is their first tiny step toward reality. They even have a big idea. Unfortunately, it is an extremely foolish one. They are calling for ‘an earned route to
- [Migrationwatch Comment On Revised Immigration Assumptions By The Ons Today](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-comment-on-revised-immigration-assumptions-by-the-ons-today/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch, points out that the new ONS assumption, released today, at last recognises that the present very high levels of immigration are likely to continue unless the government moves from rhetoric to really effective measures. He highlights that it means that our population will increase by about 8.7 million between 2004 and
- [Ons Immigration Figures Prove Migrationwatch Projection Correct.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ons-immigration-figures-prove-migrationwatch-projection-correct/) - The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released revised figures for immigration on 27 September, 2007. Their figures show that annual net immigration has been running at 190,000 for some years and not, as they previously claimed, 145,000. Philip Johnston of the Daily Telegraph, in his article, ‘Labour has lost control of borders’, points out that Migrationwatch has stressed, since
- [Sunday Times: Letters](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sunday-times-letters/) - FITTING TOGETHER: Trevor Phillips stated that "people like Andrew Green at Migrationwatch are saying these new arrivals can’t fit in. I believe that shows contempt for the tolerance of the British people". In fact, I have never said anything of the kind. Migrationwatch believes that integration is perfectly possible but not on the massive scale we now
- [The Observer: Your Letters](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-observer-your-letters/) - In ‘The truth Migration Watch doesn’t want you to know’ (Opinion, last week), Jasper Gerard completely misrepresents our position. We, too, favour integration. Indeed, we regard it as essential to the future harmony of our society. We just don’t believe it is possible at present rates of immigration. The government’s own figures show that foreign
- [Policy Formers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/policy-formers/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch, has been voted by the Daily Telegraph, the 50th most influential person in UK for his role in alerting the country to the unsustainability of mass immigration.
- [The Economic Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economic-impact-of-immigration/) - Robert Rowthorn, Emeritus Professor at Cambridge University, gave written evidenceto the House of Lords Economic Affairs Select Committee about the economic impact of immigrationon the UK. Professor Rowthorn highlights that "…large-scale immigration will lead to a rapid and sustained growth in population………overcrowding, congestion, pressure on housing and public services, and loss of environmental amenities… It also undermines
- [Impact Of Immigration On Public Services](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/impact-of-immigration-on-public-services/) - Listen again to BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour which interviewed people, such as MP Frank Field (Lab) and Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, about the ability of Britain to cope with the large numbers of people who have come to this country in recent years. The programme specifically addresses the impact of migrants on public services and the economy. Many
- [Immigration Is Placing A Great Strain On The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-is-placing-a-great-strain-on-the-uk/) - The Government’s new Migration Impacts Forum confirms that mass immigration is placing a huge strain on housing, health, education and policing in virtually all regions of the UK. It claims that immigrants contribute £6 billion a year to the economy; but fails to mention any costs to the British taxpayer. David Coleman, Professor of Demography at Oxford University,
- [We Need An Honest Immigration Debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-need-an-honest-immigration-debate/) - Professor Robert Rowthorn of Cambridge University offers his views on the Government’s assertion that "Migrants contribute £6 billion to the GDP". He emphasises, in an article the Sunday Telegraph of 21 October, that what individuals wish to know is whether they are financially better off because of mass immigration. It is, therefore, GDP per head which is the
- [Examination By The House Of Lords Of The Economic Impact Of Immigration On The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/examination-by-the-house-of-lords-of-the-economic-impact-of-immigration-on-the-uk/) - Draft minutes of oral evidence given by Professor Robert Rowthorn, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge and Professor Stephen Nickell, Nuffield College Oxford, of the economic impact of immigration on the UK, to the House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs on 9 October, 2007 are available for viewing on the Parliamentary web site.
- [Migrationwatch Comment On Today’s Population Projections](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-comment-on-todays-population-projections/) - These figures are hugely important. They imply that the nature of British society will irrevocably and permanently be changed for our children and grandchildren. These fundamental changes are taking place without the public having a voice. This huge population increase – equivalent to twice the population of greater London by mid-century – is 90% due to
- [The Rising Wave That We Were Too Afraid To Discuss](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-rising-wave-that-we-were-too-afraid-to-discuss/) - Commentary by Sir Andrew Green, Chairman, Migration Watch UK, in The Daily Telegraph on 24 October, 2007 These population projections mark a turning point in the national dialogue. The public have at last become aware of the enormous impact of present levels of immigration on the future of our society. Official figures now indicate that England’s population will increase
- [Right Not To Remain Silent](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/right-not-to-remain-silent/) - The Sunday Times leading article of 28 October, recognises that "It is not easy writing about immigration without being accused by the left of racism or by the right of complacency." It stresses that "polls show that people are deeply concerned about its impact and frustrated that a policy fundamentally changing the nature of Britain is
- [Hold Back The Immigrant Flood](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/hold-back-the-immigrant-flood/) - By Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, in The Sunday Times, 4 November, 2007 Just occasionally a series of events crystallises public opinion and transforms the political landscape. That is what has happened with immigration in the past fortnight. Three events stand out. The crucial wake-up call was publication of the government’s latest population forecasts. They were
- [Huge Majority Believe Immigration Puts Too Much Pressure On Public Services.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/huge-majority-believe-immigration-puts-too-much-pressure-on-public-services/) - 85% of the population think immigration is putting too much pressure on public services says a new pollout today. According to a YouGov poll for Migrationwatch, 85% agreed with this statement, 58% strongly. Only 10% disagreed, 2% strongly. The highest numbers of those strongly agreeing came from the East of England (63%), the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside
- [Visa ‘outsourcing’ Likely To Fuel Big Increase In Illegal Immigration Warns Think-tank](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-outsourcing-likely-to-fuel-big-increase-in-illegal-immigration-warns-think-tank/) - A Government decision to ‘outsource’ applications for visas by foreigners coming to Britain is likely to lead to an increase in illegal immigration, while the government’s capacity to remove them is close to zero, think-tank Migrationwatch warned today. Entry Clearance Officers (ECOs) at British Embassies and Consulates around the world are responsible for the issue of visas
- [Migrationwatch Comment On Today’s Immigration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-comment-on-todays-immigration-statistics/) - The ONS press release headlinesrecord emigration without mentioning record immigration. In fact, their figures also show record foreign immigration of over half a million in 2006 with less than one fifth coming from the new Eastern European members of the EU. British emigration is also a record at 126,000, having doubled since 1997. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green,
- [Hiv: Statement By Migrationwatch](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/hiv-statement-by-migrationwatch/) - The latest report from the Health Protection Agency shows that the major source of heterosexual HIV infection in the UK is immigration from sub Saharan Africa 70% of all heterosexual cases diagnosed in the UK are among those born in Africa. Of those diagnosed in 2006, nearly half (46%) were described as Black African. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green,
- [Sir Andrew Green – An Apology](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-an-apology/) - The following apology was published in the Daily Mirror on 26 November. In his column on 13 September 2007, Brian Reade compared Sir Andrew Green and Migrationwatch UK to the Nazi party and the Ku Klux Klan. We accept that the allegations were untrue. We sincerely regret any distress caused to Sir Andrew and have agreed
- [Uk Borders Act 2007](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uk-borders-act-2007-2/) - 1 The Act received Royal Assent on 30 October 2007. The following are the Acts on the subject of immigration and asylum currently on the statute book: Immigration Act 1971 Immigration Act 1988 Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 Special Immigration
- [Uk Benefits System Linked To Immigrant Workers Says Report](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uk-benefits-system-linked-to-immigrant-workers-says-report/) - Evidence that the system of social security benefits is one factor in attracting large numbers of foreign workers to the UK has come from a new study out today. An in depth analysis of the operation of the current benefit system, by think tank Migrationwatch, has shown that the effect of benefit levels combined with means
- [Migrationwatch Commentary On The Item Club “special Report On Migration And The Uk Economy”](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-commentary-on-the-item-club-special-report-on-migration-and-the-uk-economy/) - Said chairman Sir Andrew Green: ‘This report is very far from an objective assessment of the issue from a body which openly favours "open doors to economic migrants", despite the highest levels of immigration in our history. This is despite some of the findings in their own report – particularly the small or even negative impact on GDP
- [Migrationwatch: Supplementary Evidence To The House Of Lords Economic Affairs Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-supplementary-evidence-to-the-house-of-lords-economic-affairs-committee/) - In response to a request from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee who are investigating the economic impact of immigration, Migrationwatch has submitted written evidence in response to the Government case. Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, will give further oral evidence to the Committee on 15 January. Commenting on the government’s earlier written evidence Migrationwatch chairman, Sir Andrew Green said
- [The Economic Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economic-impact-of-immigration-2/) - Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, gave oral evidence to the House of Lords Economic Committee on Tuesday 15 January, about the economic impact of immigration. As well as Sir Andrew, the Rt Hon Liam Byrne, MP, Minister of State for Borders & Immigration, Mr John Elliot, Chief Economist, Home Office and Mr Jonathan Portes, Chief Economist, Department of
- [Immigration & The Environment](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-the-environment/) - By Sir Leslie Fielding, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex and Chairman of the Sussex Overseas Development Institute. The issue of continued large scale immigration into the UK, while immediate, also needs to be seen in a longer-term perspective, in the context of two of the greatest issues of our time: the changing
- [Government Figures Wrong On Where Immigrants Come From, Confirms Statistics Commission](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-figures-wrong-on-where-immigrants-come-from-confirms-statistics-commission/) - The Government has the ability to control a much larger percentage of immigrants coming to the UK than it claims. This has emerged after think tank Migrationwatch asked the independent Statistics Commission to look at Government claims that 52% of immigrants are from outside the EU whereas Migrationwatch say the figure was 68%. After reviewing the figures the Statistics
- [Migrants Should Also ‘earn’ Their Vote](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrants-should-also-earn-their-vote/) - The Government’s proposals outlined yesterday for ‘earned’ citizenship should also be an opportunity to make sweeping changes to those eligible to vote in elections in the UK, says think-tank, Migrationwatch. In a paper out today the group point out that about a million people from Commonwealth countries who are not British citizens have the right to vote in Britain Said
- [The Lisbon Treaty: More Red-tape Round Our Border Controls?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-lisbon-treaty-more-red-tape-round-our-border-controls/) - The Lisbon Treaty could further weaken Britain’s ability to control her own borders, according to a report out today by Migrationwatch. The Treaty now sets the EU the specific aim of developing "common policies" for both asylum and immigration, including uniform standards for asylum. It also widens EU powers to define the rights of legal immigrants from outside the EU.
- [Migrationwatch Response To Report By The Independent Asylum Commission](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-response-to-report-by-the-independent-asylum-commission/) - Responding to today’s Interim report from the Independent Asylum Commission think-tank Migrationwatch says that the document has completely ignored the fact that in recent years just over 60% of asylum claims in the UK have been rejected as not genuine. ‘Despite its official sounding title, this is a private initiative by a number of charities involved in asylum issues ‘said Sir
- [Devastating Demolition Of The Case For Mass Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/devastating-demolition-of-the-case-for-mass-immigration/) - An article by Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK in The Daily Mail, London 1 April, 2008 Today’s report on immigration from the House of Lords Economic Committee strikes a devastating blow against years of blatant government propaganda. It rejects outright the Government’s argument that a high level of immigration is of economic benefit to the UK. This is exactly
- [Sir Andrew Green – Yet Another Apology From Another Newspaper](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-yet-another-apology-from-another-newspaper/) - Last month The Independent published an apology and have agreed to pay costs and damages in respect of potentially libellous allegations against the Chairman of Migrationwatch. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green said "This is now the second such case in recent months. I hope that the press will learn the lesson and recognise the need for temperate language on all sides of the
- [Observer Publish A Correction](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/observer-publish-a-correction/) - In its edition of 6 April The Observer published an article that, in passing, strongly implied that Migrationwatch had been scaremongering over the health risks of immigration. In accordance with the guidelines of the Press Complaints Commission, we sought a fair opportunity to reply to this misleading and inaccurate material. As a result, the following letter was published in
- [Overview Of The Dutch Asylum And Immigration System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/overview-of-the-dutch-asylum-and-immigration-system/) - Dutch methods of regulating migration About the author Dr Jeroen Doomernik is researcher and programme manager at the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES) and lecturer in political science at the University of Amsterdam. He holds an MA in social anthropology and a PhD in human geography. Introduction 1. In contrast to the United Kingdom, Dutch migration
- [Recent Case Law On Asylum And Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/recent-case-law-on-asylum-and-immigration-2/) - The government has recently suffered a number of setbacks in asylum and immigration cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Two cases are summarised in Migrationwatch Briefing Paper 8.25: The Libyan case and the Abu Qatada case.
- [New Points Based System Likely To Result In Higher Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-points-based-system-likely-to-result-in-higher-immigration/) - The Government’s claim that their new Points Based system will result in lower levels of immigration is pure spin. The scheme has no limits and, in fact, will probably result in even higher levels of immigration. It is so complex and bureaucratic, with potentially 26,000 job titles, that it is highly likely to lead to chaos and
- [Access Of Foreign Doctors To Specialist Training In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/access-of-foreign-doctors-to-specialist-training-in-the-uk/) - The BAPIO (British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) case was recently decided on final appeal to the House of Lords. It arose out of what can reasonably described as an attempt by the Department of Health to exercise authority in the field of immigration – an exercise which was found by their Lordships to be unlawful.
- [2.3 Million Immigrants Come To Uk In 16 Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/2-3-million-immigrants-come-to-uk-in-16-years/) - New Government figures have confirmed just how large has been the scale of immigration into the UK in recent years and show that that the vast majority who come to stay are from the third world. An analysis of the latest immigration statistics from the Office of National Statistics by think-tank Migrationwatch shows that in the years 1991 –
- [Setting The Record Straight – Migrationwatch Responds To Home Affairs Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/setting-the-record-straight-migrationwatch-responds-to-home-affairs-committee/) - Think tank Migrationwatch has issued a firm reply to criticisms levelled at the accuracy of its work and motivation by some Members of Parliament at a recent meeting of the Home Affairs Select Committee. Giving evidence on the operation of the Government’s Points Based System, on Migrationwatch Chairman Sir Andrew Green was asked a number of questions regarding the organisation he
- [European Convention On Human Rights: Recent Case Law](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/european-convention-on-human-rights-recent-case-law/) - Harry Mitchell, QC, summarises in Briefing Paper 8.27 three recent cases which are of interest. In all three questions concerning the European Convention on Human Rights are prominent. The third case, summarised in paragraphs 10 to 17, is of particular concern. It is a decision of the European Court of Human Rights which may well have the
- [Migrationwatch Comment On Ippr Press Release](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-comment-on-ippr-press-release/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, responding to an Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) press release, said "More immigrants settling in Britain is the last thing we need. Our population is increasing by a third of a million every year, mainly due to immigration. We will have to build the equivalent of the city
- [Bbc Radio 4 Today Programme](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bbc-radio-4-today-programme/) - Listen again to John Humphrys interviewing Sir Andrew Green and Mr Danny Sriskandarajah of the Institute of Public Policy Research, about the IPPR’s new report about how immigration benefits Britain.
- [‘no Excuses’ On Immigration As Poles Go Home](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-excuses-on-immigration-as-poles-go-home/) - A new report out today estimates that the influx of East Europeans coming to work in the UK will come broadly into balance within the next three years. Thereafter, most immigration will be from outside the EU and could therefore be controlled if the government had the political will to do so. ‘The impression is being carefully
- [Draft (partial) Immigration And Citizenship Bill](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/draft-partial-immigration-and-citizenship-bill/) - The Bill is a draft published on 14 July 2008 to facilitate consultation. Some parts of it are still missing. The government’s intention is that a Bill be tabled in Parliament in the autumn of 2008. The draft Bill is the next stage in a process initiated by the Border and Immigration Agency (now the UK Border
- [A Separate Scottish Immigration System Would Be “futile”](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-separate-scottish-immigration-system-would-be-futile/) - Claims that Scotland ‘needs’ large scale immigration because of its declining and ageing population have been strongly refuted in a paper out today from think tank Migrationwatch. Scotland’s population is not declining as is frequently claimed so substantial immigration is not required to boost the population – neither will it provide an answer to a future pensions problem
- [Migrationwatch Invited To Put Forward Policy Suggestions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-invited-to-put-forward-policy-suggestions/) - Following the evidence which we gave to the Economic Committee of the House of Lords, Migrationwatch were invited by a Cross Party Group of Parliamentarians to put forward suggestions as to how immigration issues should be tackled in a way that took account and also tackles the need to preserve the competitiveness of the economy but
- [New Poll Indicates Balanced Migration A Vote Winner – Labour And Bme Voters Want Much Lower Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-poll-indicates-balanced-migration-a-vote-winner-labour-and-bme-voters-want-much-lower-immigration/) - A new pollout today demonstrates there is massive backing for a substantial cut in immigration levels from supporters of all parties and shows that a programme of ‘Balanced Migration’ into the UK could have a major effect on voting intentions in a future election. The YouGov poll, which the Cross party Group on Balanced Migration asked Migrationwatch
- [Migrationwatch Chairman Gives Evidence To Migration Advisory Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-chairman-gives-evidence-to-migration-advisory-committee/) - The Migration Advisory Committee, an independent body set up by the government to advise on those occupations in Britain which face skills shortages, held a session on 26 September to which they invited the Chairman to give evidence. The Committee had been requested by the government to provide advice as to whether the present restrictions on
- [The Recession: No Solution To Large Scale Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-recession-no-solution-to-large-scale-immigration/) - New Researchpublished today concludes that the widely forecast recession will not tackle the long term challenge of large scale immigration. The report was prepared by Migrationwatch at the request of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration. It plots annual growth in GDP since 1970 to identify previous years of recession and examines what happened
- [Consultation On Immigration Appeals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/consultation-on-immigration-appeals/) - Migrationwatch Briefing Paper No 8.28 summarised some of the main features of the government’s recently published Draft (Partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill and appended a copy of the submissions made by Migrationwatch to the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons. The draft is described as partial because some important topics have been omitted, with the
- [Toughening The Points Based System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/toughening-the-points-based-system-2/) - With unemployment climbing fast, it is no longer acceptable that jobs which have never been advertised in Britain should be offered to economic migrants. Nor should migrants be admitted without a job to go to. The total of these categories is at least 75,000 jobs a year and probably a good deal more. These arrangements
- [How Many More People Can Our Small Island Take? As Population Heads Towards 70 Million Has The Penny Dropped For Labour?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-many-more-people-can-our-small-island-take-as-population-heads-towards-70-million-has-the-penny-dropped-for-labour/) - By Sir Andrew Green, Chairman, Migration Watch UK. The issues around immigration are steadily becoming clearer as successive government smoke screens are blown away by the cool wind of logic. New immigration figures being published by the Government today will confirm that very high levels of immigration are continuing at about 200,000 a year. In recent weeks,
- [The Business Visitor Scheme Under The Points Based System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-business-visitor-scheme-under-the-points-based-system/) - Migrationwatch called yesterday for much tougher rules on business visitors. The new rules are far too lax and, in particular, permit unlimited secondment of foreign employees to Britain Commenting, the Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, said “The Government scrabbled to produce these rules only days before the system goes live. Far from being “tough” the rules for business visitors
- [Population Out Of Control: Why Present Policies Cannot Keep Our Population Even To 70 Million](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/population-out-of-control-why-present-policies-cannot-keep-our-population-even-to-70-million/) - Summary The government have assured the public that the population of the UK will not be allowed to reach 70 million and that their new Points Based System (PBS) will ensure that this is achieved. Unfortunately, this cannot possibly be so…….. Conclusion ……Last year the PBS would have only stopped 11,500 migrants out of 237,000
- [We Must Create A Culture Of Solidarity, Not Offer Amnesties](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-must-create-a-culture-of-solidarity-not-offer-amnesties/) - Editorial from The Catholic Herald of 28 November, 2008 “Showing respect for the dignity and civil rights of immigrants to this country is not an option for Catholics: it is a non-negotiable responsibility that arises from the message of Christ and our own dignity as human beings. Immigration policy, on the other hand, is a question for
- [Public Gives Thumbs Down To Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants. New Study Shows Amnesty Would Cost Up To £4 Billion A Year.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/public-gives-thumbs-down-to-amnesty-for-illegal-immigrants-new-study-shows-amnesty-would-cost-up-to-4-billion-a-year/) - Seven out of ten adults disagree that there should be an amnesty for illegal immigrants, a new YouGov poll has found. The research, commissioned by Migrationwatch UK,found that only one in ten people agree with the idea. In London, the poll found that 64 per cent opposed an amnesty.Just one in six Londoners supported the idea of
- [How Britain’s New Jobs Have Gone To Immigrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-britains-new-jobs-have-gone-to-immigrants/) - Nearly all the jobs created in the UK since 2001 have gone to immigrants – not British born workers New research from think tank Migrationwatch – based on Government figures – shows that virtually all the extra 1.34 million jobs have now been filled by people from abroad, notably by the half a million workers who have come
- [Cross Party Group Aim For ‘balanced Migration’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/cross-party-group-aim-for-balanced-migration/) - The first cross party group of parliamentarians to address how immigration into the UK can be brought back under control has been formed at Westminster. Headed by two distinguished former ministers, Frank Field, Labour, and Nicholas Soames, Conservative, it is the first time in British political history that parliamentarians from the two main parties have come together
- [Sir Andrew Green: Yet Another Newspaper Apology](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-yet-another-newspaper-apology/) - Yasmin Alibhai-Brown’s article, “These bigots imperil our nation’s future“, which appeared in The Independent on 29 September, 2008 made allegations against Migrationwatch’s Chairman, Sir Andrew Green. The paper has now acknowledged the allegations were untrue.
- [Immigration: Bbc Radio 4: Beyond Westminster](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-bbc-radio-4-beyond-westminster/) - Radio 4’s Beyond Westminster (1100 hrs – 1130 hrs Saturday, 10 January 2009) discussed whether the record levels of immigrants are something to be celebrated or deplored and how far things will be changed by the looming recession The BBC’s Andrew Rawnsley first questioned Migrationwatch’s Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, about why his organisation is alarmed at the projections
- [Cabinet Minister Admits Immigration ‘free For All’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/cabinet-minister-admits-immigration-free-for-all/) - A Cabinet Minister has admitted the Government has presided over an asylum and immigration “free for all” and warned that the recession could be a recipe for social tension. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, said Labour had failed to manage the system effectively, allowing many people to enter the country under false pretences. See The Sunday
- [Asylum Seekers – A Serious Case Of Misunderstanting](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-seekers-a-serious-case-of-misunderstanting/) - Summary Confusion continues to reign over the distinction between an asylum seeker and a refugee. In the period 1997 – 2007 three quarters of asylum applications were refused after a process with a reduced burden of proof and opportunities to appeal. Asylum seekers should not be confused with genuine applicants who are, rightly, granted refugee
- [The Independent – Another Apology](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-independent-another-apology/) - “For a second time The Independent has been obliged to apologise and pay damages and costs to Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch. This is despite the fact that on the first occasion, in February 2008, their apology recognised explicitly that “Sir Andrew Green and Migrationwatch, the think-tank he founded, are entitled to put forward an approach to
- [Migrationwatch Media Information](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrationwatch-media-information/) - Migrationwatch website has been revamped and updated. This should make it easier to find any information on immigration and asylum issues you may require. In particular, two overview papers: “What is the problem?” and “What can be done?” may prove to be useful.
- [Statisticians Are Right To Publish And Be Damned](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/statisticians-are-right-to-publish-and-be-damned/) - Statisticians can cause quite a stir just by being honest. Yesterday the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the latest employment figures. They show that in the past 12 months the employment of British workers has fallen by about 250,000 while the number of foreign workers has gone up by about 200,000. Does this show that foreigners
- [Legislative Developments](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/legislative-developments/) - In September 2008 Briefing Paper 8.28, summarising the contents of the Draft (Partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill, gave an account of the Bill’s contents and of the views on it which we submitted to the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons…… … There is now before Parliament a Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, which
- [At Last, The Truth About Immigration And Council House Queue Jumping](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/at-last-the-truth-about-immigration-and-council-house-queue-jumping/) - The Government’s announcement yesterday that they are handing councils new powers to give local people priority on the waiting list for social housing is a clear admission that they have been misleading us over the huge impact of immigration on housing. For years, they have been in total denial, refusing even to discuss how immigration
- [Uk’s Population On Track For 70 Million](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uks-population-on-track-for-70-million/) - Government’s own, new survey shows 79% of people want immigration cut Commenting on the release today by the Office of National Statistics of data on migration, the Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, said: “The fall in net migration may well be temporary – as in previous recessions
- [Comment By Sir Andrew Green, Chairman Of Migration Watch Uk, On Immigration Figures](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-by-sir-andrew-green-chairman-of-migration-watch-uk-on-immigration-figures/) - Sir Andrew said that “It is the usual government spin to claim these numbers as a success for immigration policy despite the fact that foreign immigration is virtually unchanged at about half a million a year. What has really happened is that EU citizens have voted with their feet; the number leaving has doubled in the
- [Should The Uk Stop Trying To Control Immigration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/should-the-uk-stop-trying-to-control-immigration/) - Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, will be one of the panellists on BBC Radio 4 ‘Iconoclasts’ programmes on Wednesday, 9 September at 8.02 pm. This live three-part discussion programme, chaired by Ed Stourton, will examine controversial policy suggestions. Philippe Legrain, journalist, will propose that the UK should stop trying to control immigration. His views will be
- [The Economist On-line Debate On International Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economist-on-line-debate-on-international-migration/) - The Economist’s motion is “This house believes that there is too much international migration”. Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, is one of the debate’s expert guests. There are opening, rebuttal, and concluding statements from two main debaters, with commentary from the expert guests. The debate, which started on 8 September, is moderated by Adam Roberts, the
- [Migration Figures, Not Prejudice](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-figures-not-prejudice/) - Mark Steel’s column on 9 September, “The Poles might be leaving but the prejudice remains” claimed that most of the apocalyptic warnings of an Eastern European take-over could be traced back to the organisation Migrationwatch. On the contrary, we have been saying for over a year now that we expect East European migration to come back into
- [Conservative Party Conference](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/conservative-party-conference/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch, in a press release, said that: It is welcome news that immigration will be a “big priority” for a Conservative Home Office, as Chris Grayling put it. The key will be how the Conservatives annual limit is defined and whether it will be low enough to hold the population
- [Comment: Mass Immigration Deliberate Labour Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-mass-immigration-deliberate-labour-policy/) - Following the recent revelation, in the Evening Standard, by Andrew Neather, a former senior adviser to Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett, about the Government's political agenda to open up Britain's immigration controls to mass immigration Migrationwatch Chairman, Sir Andrew Green said, in The Daily Telgraph that "Now at least the truth is out, and it's dynamite. "Many have
- [The Points Based System: Why It Will Not Stop Our Population Hitting 70 Million](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-points-based-system-why-it-will-not-stop-our-population-hitting-70-million/) - "At his press conference on 10 November, the Prime Minister claimed that the Goverment's Points Based System "has made a huge difference" to immigration. However, our study of the system reveals very serious weaknesses. We think that it has eliminated the professional judgement of Immigration Officers in favour of a complex box ticking process which
- [The Prime Minister’s Speech Ducked The Impact Of Immigration On Population](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-prime-ministers-speech-ducked-the-impact-of-immigration-on-population/) - In his speech on 12 November, the Prime Minster made no mention of the official population projections which show that the population will reach 70 million in 2029. Some commentators have claimed that these projections are "meaningless". Migrationwatch research (see Briefing Paper 9.25) puts this issue in prospective and shows that 70 million is very
- [Sir Andrew Green: The Government’s Points Based Immigration System Is A Potential Disaster](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-the-governments-points-based-immigration-system-is-a-potential-disaster/) - Ministers have perfected a patter when talking about immigration. “We’re sorry – we’ve made mistakes, but we’re now getting it under control with our new, tough, Australian-style Points Based System”, they say. Last week, in his first speech on immigration in two years, Gordon Brown trumpeted the merits of the Points Based System (PBS) for
- [Immigration Figures Due For Release On 26 November 2009](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-figures-due-for-release-on-26-november-2009/) - Background Briefing Annual immigration figures for calendar 2008, the last before the election, will be published by the ONS on Thursday 26 November. The note (Briefing Paper 9.26)puts the figures, and Government claims about their immigration policy, into perspective.
- [“profile Of Migration Watch”](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/profile-of-migration-watch/) - "Alongside the TaxPayers' Alliance, MigrationWatch is one of Britain's most effective campaigning organisations. "Its Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, has become Britain's most quoted authority on immigration questions." See the full article
- [Service Under Strain As ‘migrant A Minute’ Registers With An Nhs Doctor](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/service-under-strain-as-migrant-a-minute-registers-with-an-nhs-doctor/) - New research published today reveals the pressure that immigration is placing on the NHS. The research, conducted by Migrationwatch, found that in 2007-8, 605,000 people who arrived from overseas registered with a GP in England and Wales – equivalent to one registration a minute, day and night, throughout the year. This was nearly 100,000 more than
- [Student Visas ‘a Massive Hole’ In Border Controls As Numbers Top 1.5 Million In 8 Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/student-visas-a-massive-hole-in-border-controls-as-numbers-top-1-5-million-in-8-years/) - Nearly 3/4 of visas under the Points Based System are given to students 11/2 million students admitted in just 8 years No checks on how many leave UK Role of Immigration Officers severely undermined A new report out today reveals that student visas are a massive loophole in our border controls. Nearly three quarters of
- [Sir Andrew Green: 10 Reasons Our Visa System Is Rotten To The Core](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-10-reasons-our-visa-system-is-rotten-to-the-core/) - Commentary in The Daily Mail 30 December, 2009 We got lucky – this time. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian graduate of University College London who tried to blow up a passenger aircraft over Detroit was turned down for a student visa when he applied for one in May. He had been stupid enough to try
- [‘if The Tories Are Serious About Immigration It Will Be In The Manifesto’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/if-the-tories-are-serious-about-immigration-it-will-be-in-the-manifesto/) - Commentary By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UK The Times, London, 11 January, 2010 It was good to see an Archbishop give the political system a hefty kick last week. Lord Carey’s courageous intervention in support of the cross-party group called Balanced Migration certainly caught the attention of the public and gave a huge boost to
- [The Key: Ethnic Communities Vote Heavily For Labour](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-key-ethnic-communities-vote-heavily-for-labour/) - By Sir Andrew Green,Chairman, Migration Watch UKThe Daily Telegraph, 10 February, 2010 I rubbed my eyes with disbelief when I saw an article by Andrew Neather, a former speech writer for Blair, Blunkett and Straw, saying that mass immigration “didn’t just happen: the deliberate policy of Ministers from late 2000 … was to open up the UK
- [Paying The Price For A Decade Of Deception](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/paying-the-price-for-a-decade-of-deception/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UKThe Daily Mail, London, 10 February 2010 So there was indeed a Labour conspiracy to change the nature of our society by mass immigration. New evidence confirms claims made by a Labour political adviser last October which he subsequently tried to recant. In an article for the Evening Standard,
- [Migration: An Economic And Social Analysis](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-an-economic-and-social-analysis/) - TITLE PAGE AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARYof a joint research study by the Home Office Economics and Resources Analysis Unit and the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit. This document was given restricted circulation in October 2000 and was obtained by Migration Watch in January 2010 under a Freedom of Information Act request to the Cabinet Office.
- [The Immigration Appeals System Revised – 2010 Version](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-immigration-appeals-system-revised-2010-version-2/) - This Briefing Paper 8.30 substantially amends and brings up to date the previous version dated March 2005 (now deleted), taking account of recent changes in the law Introduction 1 The immigration appeals system has undergone major changes twice in recent years. Until April 2005 there was a two tier system, the first tier consisting of adjudicators sitting
- [Sham Marriages – March 2010](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sham-marriages-march-2010/) - Introduction 1 There has been a great deal of confusion recently about the government’s powers to deal with sham marriages. Even the Minister of Immigration seems to have got it wrong in a television interview. Briefing Paper 8.38 sets out the full position….. The BBC Report 5 On 7 January this year the BBC television 10 o'clock
- [The Solar Lamp Lights The Way Britain Must Go](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-solar-lamp-lights-the-way-britain-must-go/) - Letter sent to The Timesby Sir Andrew GreenChairman, Migration Watch UK21 October, 2010 An edited version was published 25 October, 2010 under the heading 'Zero Migration?' Sir, David Aaronovitch's article "The solar lamp lights the way Britain must go" (21 October) was simply bizarre. He completely, and perhaps even deliberately, misrepresents the aims of Migrationwatch. We
- [Briefing By The Mayor Of London: Rebuttal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-by-the-mayor-of-london-rebuttal/) - Back Bench Debate on Immigration: The Scale of immigration The GLA Briefing claims (paragraph 4) that "net international migration in 2009 was at its lowest level since mid 1995 which is comparable to the government’s target". This is quite wrong. As the paper recognises elsewhere, net international migration in 2009 is estimated at 196,000; in
- [Press Release](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-release/) - Background brief: Intra-Company Transfers The Prime Minister announced on 3 November that work permits for Intra-Company Transfers would not be subject to a cap. On 5 November, the Home Secretary, speaking at the Policy Exchange Think Tank, hinted at imposing a minimum salary. Meanwhile, leaks from Brussels suggest that the government will agree to a commitment to accept
- [The Comment That Wasn’t Free](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-comment-that-wasnt-free/) - An articleattacking our paper on bogus students appeared in the Guardian on 9/01/11. The response below was offered to the paper but they declined to publish. Bogus foreign students, and indeed bogus colleges in Britain, are a serious problem – not withstanding the IPPR attempts to quibble with our description of some of the costs. Bogus colleges damage
- [House Of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-of-commons-home-affairs-select-committee/) - Oral Evidence from Migration Watch UK : Students See Briefing Paper No 2.11 for the full text.
- [Tightening Immigration Benefits All Legitimate Students](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tightening-immigration-benefits-all-legitimate-students/) - By Matthew PollardExecutive Director, Migration Watch UKPolitics, London, 25 February, 2011 Universities should show more interest in the UK graduates they're sending to the dole queue, rather than foreign applicants. The government will soon announce measures to reform the student immigration system. Meanwhile, their consultation exercise has been greeted with howls of outrage from the
- [Why Is The Bbc Still So Hideously Biased On Immigration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-is-the-bbc-still-so-hideously-biased-on-immigration/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UKThe Daily Mail, London, 15 April, 2011 David Cameron has just made the most important speech on immigration of any Prime Minister for many years. He tackled the subject in a frank, open, comprehensive and factual manner, while remaining sensitive to the delicacy of the issues. He set out a clear
- [We Must Control And Limit Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-must-control-and-limit-immigration/) - By Matthew PollardExecutive DirectorMigration Watch UKPolitics.co.uk11 April, 2011 In response to Ian Dunt: Mass immigration is not a solution to the needs of our ageing population. "Never be ashamed of immigrant Britain", comments Ian Dunt. I have no problem with this assertion; it's what he goes on to say with which I take issue. Immigration, he suggests,
- [Sham Marriages – The Latest](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sham-marriages-the-latest/) - Sham marriages have been for long a scourge and a means by which people traffickers and other criminals earn illicit fortunes for arranging them. Recent changes in the law have made it necessary to issue a new briefing paper on the subject, superseding the three previous papers, 8.13, 8.38 and 8.49. At the same time a revised
- [The Public Accounts Committee (pac) Report Into The Points Based System (pbs)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-public-accounts-committee-pac-report-into-the-points-based-system-pbs/) - The PAC concludes that the PBS is better than its predecessor. Yet, six of its seven recommendations suggest that, to the contrary,it is lacking in control.The reason Labour's PBS is so deeply flawed is that the basis of the UK's immigration control, the face to face interview, no longer plays any part in the process.
- [Immigration Close To Record Levels: Non Uk Born Workers Increase By 1.7 Million In Ten Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-close-to-record-levels-non-uk-born-workers-increase-by-1-7-million-in-ten-years/) - Today’s new figures Net migration in the year to last September was the highest for 5 years at 242,000, up 96,000 on the previous year. This is close to the record level of 260,000 set in the year to June 2005. British emigration was unchanged from last year at 43,000 but was still low compared
- [Comment On Home Office Proposals On Settlement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-home-office-proposals-on-settlement/) - In response to the proposals published by the Home Office in their consultation on Employment-Related Settlement, Tier 5 and Overseas Domestic Workers, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK commented: "This is excellent news. There will now be a real incentive for employers to train British workers rather than continue to take skilled foreign
- [Migration Watch Uk Twitter Site](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-twitter-site/) - If you wish to comment on Migrationwatch's efforts please do sign-up to our Twitter site at: http://twitter.com/#!/migrationwatch
- [Work Permit And Settlement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/work-permit-and-settlement/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migrationwatch, and Scott Blinder of Oxford's Migration Observatory debate the Home Office proposals for Work Permit and Settlement. Listen to the debate from 1.06 on BBC Radio 5Live's iPlayer at http://bbc.in/lncYCM
- [Findings Of The Home Affairs Select Committee Into Student Visas](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/findings-of-the-home-affairs-select-committee-into-student-visas/) - In response to the Committee’s press statement that the "over-hasty student visas policy could cost the economy £3.6 billion", Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, commented: "This cost of £3.6 billion is deeply unconvincing. It rests on the assumption that none of the work currently being done by foreign students would be done by the
- [Integration Of Muslims](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/integration-of-muslims/) - Alp Mehmet Vice Chairman @migrationwatch will be on BBC1 Sunday Morning Live tomorrow 11 September, contributing to the discussion on the integration of muslims bbc.in/nPjuuE
- [Bbc South East Interview](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bbc-south-east-interview/) - Alp Mehmet Vice Chairman @migrationwatch was on BBC South East yesterday at 1830 hrs. If you missed the programme and would like to see his brief comment, about a visa refusal for the wife of a British citizen, then you can do so on the BBC iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006pfp8
- [The Prime Minister’s Speech On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-prime-ministers-speech-on-immigration/) - Comment by Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman, Migration Watch UK 10 October, 2011 This is the Prime Minister's second speech on immigration in six months showing he clearly means business. We wholeheartedly support this. It is refreshing that he recognises that the Points Based System is a 'box ticking exercise'.
- [Is Britain Full Up?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-britain-full-up/) - BBC TV Sunday Morning Live debate tomorrow ‘Is Britain full up?’ #bbcsml. Migration Watch Vice Chairman, Alp Mehmet, is contributing. At 5.40 pm this evening Migration Watch E-Petition on The No 10 web site had received 86,031 signatures. If you have not yet signed the e-petition it can be found at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19658
- [Migration Watch Uk No 10 E-petition](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-no-10-e-petition/) - We are very close to achieving 100,000 signatures within a week. As we write we are at 98,057. If you have not already signed up, why not do so now? You might be the one hundred thousandth……. Migration Watch UK E-Petition
- [Broadcaster Nick Ferrari On Government Immigration Policies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/broadcaster-nick-ferrari-on-government-immigration-policies/) - Nick Ferrari claimed on the BBC This Week show that it was not racist to have a debate on immigration, and the current and previous governments had all reneged on pledges to deal with the issue. bbc.in/sJH4UD He further added that immigration came in the top three of subjects for voters bbc.in/vQUrec
- [Who is being allocated social housing in London?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/who-is-being-allocated-social-housing-in-london-2/) - Summary 1. London has long waiting lists for social housing which have grown by 60% in the past eight years. 2. Priority for social housing is given to those declared technically “homeless” or those living in overcrowded conditions. 3. The impact of immigration is downplayed or denied. 4. Official data is available on the nationality
- [The Impact of Immigration on Maternity Services in England](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-immigration-on-maternity-services-in-england/) - Summary 1 Between 2000 and 2010 births in England increased by over 114,000 – from 572,826 to 687,007. Immigration has been the key factor fuelling this increase: three quarters of the increase in births was to women born outside the UK. Overall, in 2010, over a quarter of all live births in England were to
- [The Economic Value of International Students](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economic-value-of-international-students/) - Summary 1. Migration Watch UK has reviewed the methodology used to calculate the value of international students. It has also found that the true value to the UK of those students subject to immigration control is significantly less than often cited. The value of international students in 2008/09 was £4.3 billion to the UK or
- [Population Explosion Could Hit Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/population-explosion-could-hit-uk/) - An online petition urging curbs on immigration could be debated in Parliament in early 2012. MigrationWatchUK's e-petition wants the Government to stop the nation's population going over 70 million. Recent official projections suggested the number of people living in the UK is set to rise from 62.3 million last year to 70 million within 16 years. The
- [Response To Guardian Editorial On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-guardian-editorial-on-immigration/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairmanMigration Watch UK The following is Migration Watch's response to an editorial in the Guardian edition of 2 February entitled "Immigration: dubious means to an uncertain end".We offered it to their web site "Comment is free" but it was rejected, apparently on the grounds that the web site does not publish comments on
- [What Do The Public Really Feel About Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-do-the-public-really-feel-about-immigration/) - It is sometimes suggested that public opinion on immigration is not as firm as it appears or that it is more nuanced than it seems. Migration Watch Briefing Paper 15.1. reviews the main survey results in recent years, arranged under subject headings. It shows that, while the public recognise the benefits of controlled immigration especially in particular
- [Overview Of Non-eu Student Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/overview-of-non-eu-student-immigration/) - Scale 1 The number of non-EU students has increased dramatically since 2000. The International Passenger Survey asks migrants who declare an intention to stay for longer than 12 months their main reason for coming to the UK. The results for non-EU respondents are shown in figure 1 in Briefing Paper No 2.12.
- [Spectator Debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/spectator-debate/) - ‘Immigration: enough is enough.’ That's the motion for The Spectator's next debate, and also a major concern for many voters. Net migration at 250,000 in 2010 is well above the ‘tens of thousands’ that the Conservatives are committed to by the end of this Parliament. Should they do more to meet it, so that the UK's economic
- [Letter By Sir Andrew Green In The Sunday Times 11 March, 2012](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/letter-by-sir-andrew-green-in-the-sunday-times-11-march-2012/) - Foreign Student Count Simon Walker, the director-general of the Institute of Directors, could hardly be more wrong about the government’s policy on foreign students (“Cameron’s immigrant student blunder”, Think Tank, last week). The government’s aim is to not to discourage bright international students who are clearly beneficial. Rather it is to clamp down on widespread
- [Immigration To Britain Is Greater Than At Any Time In History. We Must Cut Their Numbers Now](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-to-britain-is-greater-than-at-any-time-in-history-we-must-cut-their-numbers-now/) - Mail OnLinePublished: 17:48, 8 March 2012UPDATED: 13:23, 9 March 2012 Migration Watch has this week published a short Briefing Paper 12.3 summarising some of the key facts about the impact of immigration on our population, jobs, housing and education. We hope that it will be helpful to those who are following the debate as the government struggles to
- [Migration Watch Uk Summary Of ‘strategic Review Of The Student Visa Program 2011’ Conducted By Mr Michael Knight For The Australian Government](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-summary-of-strategic-review-of-the-student-visa-program-2011-conducted-by-mr-michael-knight-for-the-australian-government/) - Migrationwatch challenged the conclusions of a British Council paper on foreign students. An important source for their paper was an Australian report by Michael Knight. We have examined that report in detail and find that its conclusions were very different from the impression given by the British Council. Our summary makes this clear with the key quotations in
- [Foreign Nationals Occupy 1 In 5 Of London’s Social Housing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/foreign-nationals-occupy-1-in-5-of-londons-social-housing/) - Figures just obtained from the Office of National Statistics show that foreign national families live in over 350,000 council and housing association properties in the capital while British nationals occupy 1.5 million. That is just under 20% of the entire stock of social homes which are occupied by those who have not been here long
- [Frank Field Challenges Minister On Social Housing Allocation](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/frank-field-challenges-minister-on-social-housing-allocation/) - Frank Field MP has challenged the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps MP, on new figures showing that 20 per cent of social housing in London has been allocated to non-British nationals. Frank Field has written to Mr Shapps following a meeting in the House of Commons to discuss access rights to social housing in England. Mr
- [Response To The Times Leader On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-times-leader-on-immigration/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UK 12 May 2012 Dear Sir, Your editorial “British Workers” (12 May) was right to point out that the flow of workers from EU states stems from treaty obligations and cannot be cut back by immigration policy. However, despite all the talk about Polish workers, it is important
- [Response To A Letter From The Director Of International Students, Exeter University](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-a-letter-from-the-director-of-international-students-exeter-university/) - The Economic Contribution of Foreign Students Thank you for your letter of 16th April1 enclosing a booklet by Oxford Economics on the economic impact of your university on the city of Exeter and the surrounding region. I should make it clear that Migrationwatch is not in the least opposed to international students. We recognise the benefits described
- [House Of Commons Debate And Motion On The Application Of Article 8 Of The Echr](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-of-commons-debate-and-motion-on-the-application-of-article-8-of-the-echr/) - Summary of the debate held in the Commons chamber on 19th June (Hansard Reference: 19 June 2012 : Column 760). Theresa May and Damian Green's speeches are shown in full.
- [Response To The Speech By Ed Miliband](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-speech-by-ed-miliband/) - We welcome the change in tone from the Labour Party and their recognition of the real importance of the immigration issue to the wider public. However, an effective immigration policy must address the issue of scale. Net migration is now at the record level of 250,000 a year. The public still needs to know what
- [Immigration Mythology](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-mythology/) - 1 Introduction This paper outlines the many myths that are put forward by the mass immigration lobby in support of the current levels of immigration and dispels each myth in turn. 2 ‘Immigration provides great economic benefit’ For many years the government claimed that immigration added £6 billion a year to GDP.
- [Population Size](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/population-size/) - By Sir Andrew Green,Chairman, Migration Watch UK,The Times, London 20 July, 2012 Sir, Your leading article (“Census and sensibility”, July 17) suggests that population size is not a cause for concern. That will surprise many of your readers, especially those in England and certainly those in London and the South East where daily life consists of
- [Briefing Note: Attempts To Fiddle The Immigration Figures Are Bound To Fail](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-note-attempts-to-fiddle-the-immigration-figures-are-bound-to-fail/) - Removing students from the net migration statistics would be wrong in principle and impossible in practice. It is wrong in principle to remove over half of the recorded inflow. There is no difference between a worker and student if they are both here for several years, as the Minister for Immigration himself pointed out last
- [Students; Genuine Or Bogus – A Response To The Nus](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/students-genuine-or-bogus-a-response-to-the-nus/) - The NUS has made some criticisms of our recent paper which do not stand up to scrutiny. Their first point was that the countries listed in the pilot do not represent the wider student body. Quite so. That is why our calculation was explicitly confined to those countries included in the Home Office pilot and
- [Supreme Court Pronounces On The Immigration Rules](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/supreme-court-pronounces-on-the-immigration-rules/) - In Briefing Paper No 8.43, issued in July 2010, I commented on the case of Pankina v. Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWCA Civ.719, decided by the Court of Appeal. The principle enunciated in that case is that changes in the law, in particular to detailed provisions in the Immigration Rules, must be made in
- [House Of Commons Debate On No To 70 Million Petition](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-of-commons-debate-on-no-to-70-million-petition/) - Last year Migration Watch UK, launched a petition on the government e-Petition website calling on the government to take all necessary steps to get immigration down to a level that will stabilise our population as close to the current level as possible and, certainly, well below 70 million – the figure that the UK is
- [Question Time](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/question-time/) - After the census results campaigners attempted to downplay the impact of rapid population growth on life in England. We were told to take solace in the fact that the Japanese live in even more crowded conditions and that England is only the third most densely populated country in the EU. Evidently some cannot wait to come out
- [Ten Migration Watch Achievements](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ten-migration-watch-achievements/) - Migration Watch has produced a list of ten key points which it has contributed to the debate on immigration. Many were initially denied but have subsequently been proved correct. The first point is: 1 The scale of immigration Migration Watch has been consistently right in pointing to the likely future scale of immigration. In 2002 we predicted
- [Youth Unemployment In London And The Ippr](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/youth-unemployment-in-london-and-the-ippr/) - The IPPR recently published a report looking at youthunemployment in London[1]. In the report they appear to recognise that inwardmigration from abroad is one of the factors that has affected the employmentchances of young Londoners. “Employers have alsobecome increasingly reluctant to hire teenagers, particularly in London. Only 6per cent of UK employers, and just 3
- [The Economic Value of International Students](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economic-value-of-international-students-2/) - Summary 1. Migration Watch UK has reviewed the methodology used to calculate the value of international students. It has also found that the true value to the UK of those students subject to immigration control is significantly less than often cited. The value of international students in 2008/09 was £4.3 billion to the UK or
- [International Students: The Brightest and the Best?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-the-brightest-and-the-best/) - Summary 1. Students are by far the largest category of migrant to the UK. Non-EU students have roughly trebled in the past ten years, especially following the introduction of the Points Based System in 2008. Genuine students are of economic value to the UK – they are an asset to both campus life and their
- [Comparison of UK Benefits with those of the EU14](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comparison-of-uk-benefits-with-those-of-the-eu14/) - Summary 1. In-work benefits for the low paid are generous in the UK compared to other countries in the EU15 and may act as a much stronger pull factor towards Britain than to other member states. This paper finds that the UK is the fourth most generous country of the EU15[1] in its provision of benefits
- [Who is getting local authority housing in London? Are some London councils telling the full story?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/who-is-getting-local-authority-housing-in-london-are-some-london-councils-telling-the-full-story/) - Summary 1. The English Housing Survey estimates that around 20% of all social housing stock in London is occupied by foreign nationals[1]. 2. To examine the current impact of immigration it is necessary to look at who is being allocated social housing properties when they become available i.e. new lets[2]. 3. However, local authorities are
- [Immigration from Romania and Bulgaria](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-from-romania-and-bulgaria/) - Summary 1. The precedent of East European immigration between 2004 and 2011 provides a basis on which to estimate future migration from Romania and Bulgaria. Like Poland in 2004 their GDP per head is only about one fifth of that of the UK and both suffer from high youth unemployment. The minimum wage is only
- [Incentives for Romanian and Bulgarian Migration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/incentives-for-romanian-and-bulgarian-migration-to-the-uk/) - Summary 1. Even at the minimum wage in Britain there are very strong financial incentives for Romanians and Bulgarians to migrate to the UK, especially as wages here are topped up by substantial in-work benefits. Take home pay (including benefits) for a single worker is four or five times higher and for families eight or
- [Government To Report International Students Separately Within Net Migration Figures](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-to-report-international-students-separately-within-net-migration-figures/) - Commenting on the announcement by the Rt Hon David Willetts MP,Sir Andrew Green said: "Wewelcome improvements to the migration statistics that will provide an estimateof students’ contribution to overall net migration. Better information isvital for a more informed debate. It is important, however, that studentsremain in the government’s net migration target. If they stay on
- [Sir Andrew Green: Immigration Control Should Not Impede Economic Growth](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-immigration-control-should-not-impede-economic-growth/) - Sir Andrew Green is Chairman of Migrationwatch UK. Does the government’s political imperative to get immigration down toacceptable levels conflict with their economic imperative to stimulate economicgrowth? For business generally, theanswer is a resounding “no”. There are no limits on the transfer ofinternational staff, vital to so many companies based here. Only half ofthe available work
- [An African War Criminal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-african-war-criminal/) - An appalling case is reported today, 8 October 2012,in the Daily Mail Online. It is the story of a SudaneseAfrican whose identity is not disclosed, who in the course of a number of BBCinterviews said that he was between 2003 and 2006 a fighter in the Janjaweedmilitia which was responsible for the slaughter of an estimated
- [A “barmy” Article In “the Economist”](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-barmy-article-in-the-economist/) - The cover story of this week’s Economist claimedthat immigration was the governments “barmiest” policy which was “cripplingbusiness and the economy”. Analysis: These claims are wildlyexaggerated. In the last available year(to Q2 2012) the facts are that[1]: Intra-companytransfers were slightly up to nearly 30,000. Workpermits were up 15% to nearly 9,000 but still less than half the
- [Immigration Caps Don’t Hamper The Economic Recovery. Why Pretend Otherwise?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-caps-dont-hamper-the-economic-recovery-why-pretend-otherwise/) - By Sir Andrew Green, Chairman, Migration Watch UK The immigration lobby are gettingdesperately short of arguments to set against the huge costs of massimmigration. The first body blow was aHouse of Lords report which “found no evidence…… that net migration generatessignificant economic benefits for the existing UK population.” (Seeabstract here). This was followed bya report from
- [Immigration Control Is No Barrier To Economic Recovery](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-control-is-no-barrier-to-economic-recovery/) - Introduction: The Economist andothers, such as Jonathan Portes (Director of the NIESR) are wrong to claim thatimmigration control is acting as a barrier to economic recovery. A carefulexamination of the immigration statistics does not support their exaggeratedclaims. That is not to say that the bureaucracy cannot be improved andMigrationwatch will be making some suggestions in this
- [Letter by Sir Andrew Green](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/letter-by-sir-andrew-green/) - Letter by Sir Andrew Green ,Chairman, Migration Watch UKThe Economist, 3 November, 2012 It is surely impossible toargue that Britain’s immigration policy is “crippling” business and the economy(“The Tories’ barmiest policy”, October 20th)when there is no limit to staff transfers between international companies andonly half the available work permits have been taken up. As for the reductionin student
- [Comment By Sir Andrew Green On Home Secretary’s Speech On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-by-sir-andrew-green-on-home-secretarys-speech-on-immigration/) - Followingthe speech made this morning by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, SirAndrew Green said: "Atlast we have a Home Secretary who is honest about the consequences of mass immigration andready to take on the bogus arguments for it"
- [Sir Andrew Green’s Letter In The Daily Telegraph](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-greens-letter-in-the-daily-telegraph/) - Curbing Immigration Sir, I am most grateful for your generousendorsement of Migrationwatch in today’s editorial (“Labour has noright to lecture on immigration”). Looking ahead, we must recognize that many are shell shocked by the pace ofchange in our society, now underscored by the census results. Integratingthe nearly three million immigrants who have arrived in the
- [Judicial Review – Proposals For Reform](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/judicial-review-proposals-for-reform/) - The Ministry of Justice has recently published aconsultation paper on this subject. Theneed for reform arises because of the enormous growth in numbers ofapplications for Judicial Review (JR) and the paper acknowledges in paragraph24 that the main area of growth has been in immigration and asylum cases. In 2000 there were 4250 applications and in2011
- [Mid-term Review: Comment By Vice Chair](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mid-term-review-comment-by-vice-chair/) - Alp Mehmet said: 'The mid term review is incredibly mealy mouthed about immigration. It speaks only of "preventing a large increase in overall immigration." Doubtless at Lib Dem insistence and despite the results of the census, the strength of the public's desire to get immigration down to acceptable levels has been largely ignored.'
- [Guardian Headline Contradicted By Research Quoted In The Same Article](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/guardian-headline-contradicted-by-research-quoted-in-the-same-article/) - An article in the Guardian “Commentis free” site on the 30 January reported a poll by Ires, aRomanian polling agency, which found that 15% of Romanians resident in Romania were“very interested” in working abroad of whom 1 in 4 would choose the UK as thepreferred destination. 4% of the adult population of Romania is around600,000. A
- [Visa Requirements For The Schengen Area](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-requirements-for-the-schengen-area/) - According to the Consulate General of France inEdinburgh, an application for a short stay visa of up to 90 days requires 10original documents and 10 photocopies of them, including: - a national passport or official traveldocument – two recent passport size photographs – proof of applicants current status/occupation – proof of financial means of support
- [International Students: Business, Innovation And Skills Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-business-innovation-and-skills-committee/) - Today the government responded to the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Committee report on International Students. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green,Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "The government are absolutely right tostick to their guns. All of our competitors include students in net migrationas well as showing them as a separate category; just as Britain does. Theuniversities have
- [Migration Statistics: Students](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-statistics-students/) - Commenting on the latestMigration Statistics, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "A reduction of athird in one year is welcome evidence that the government's policies arestarting to take effect. Immigration from outside the EU is down by60,000 but visas for university students in 2012 were up by 3%. Theuniversities have been wrong
- [Immigration: Labour Party Broadcast](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-labour-party-broadcast/) - Commenting on the Labour Party Broadcast, Sir AndrewGreen, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "Ed Miliband's proposals could be useful in curbingunscrupulous employers but they deal mainly with EU migration. In fact, only aquarter of the nearly 3 million immigrants in Labour's last ten years came fromthe EU. He is wrong to imply that immigration
- [Briefing Note On Social Housing And Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-note-on-social-housing-and-immigration/) - Demandexceeds supply 1 The PrimeMinister’s speech proposed that immigrants should wait 2-5 years before joiningthe waiting list which, in England, has grown dramatically in recent years fromaround a million in 2001 to two million today[1]. ImmigrationStatus and Eligibility 2 Currently EEAnationals who are habitually resident in the UK have to be treated exactly thesame as
- [The Prime Minister’s Immigration Speech](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-prime-ministers-immigration-speech/) - Commenting on DavidCameron's speech on immigration this afternoon, Sir Andrew Green, Chairmanof Migration Watch UK, said: "It is surely only fair thateverybody should contribute to the welfare system before they can drawbenefits. The devil is often in the detail but this speech sets out a broad agenda for tightening access to the welfare state and it is
- [The Contribution Of A8 Migrants To The Uk Public Finances – Some Further Comment](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-contribution-of-a8-migrants-to-the-uk-public-finances-some-further-comment/) - In an article for the Guardian Online on 6 March,Jonathan Portes made three claims which we believe are open to question [1]: 1. A8 migrants are “far less likely to live in social housing” The study [2] upon which this claim is based only coveredthe first four years of A8 migration to the UK and compared
- [The Prime Minister’s Speech – The Public’s View](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-prime-ministers-speech-the-publics-view/) - A recent YouGov survey which received remarkably little mediaattention has shown striking public support for the Prime Minister's proposalsoutlined in his speech last week. (See here for the PM's speech) The key findings in a survey conducted on 25-26March 2013 were: 70% of respondents supported the policy of only allowingEuropean migrants to claim jobseekers allowance for more than six
- [Sir Andrew Green Comments On Niesr Report On Romanian And Bulgarian Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sir-andrew-green-comments-on-niesr-report-on-romanian-and-bulgarian-migration/) - This morning the National Institute of Economic and Social Research published a paper which failed to estimate the number of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants who will come to the UK when transitional controls end on 1 January 2014. Commenting on the report Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This report is a bucket of
- [What They Say: Extracts From The Media And Internet](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-they-say-extracts-from-the-media-and-internet/) - The London Evening Standard – 28 March, 2013: Immigration: why the public is right by David Goodhart “I had not given immigration much thought.…….though as a journalist of Leftish sympathies I was reflexively in favour of it…” “What changed that was hearing Tory intellectual David Willetts speak about the risk of too much diversity undermining
- [18 Bogus Arguments For Mass Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/18-bogus-arguments-for-mass-immigration/) - 11April, 2013 Immigration Mythology Briefing Paper 12.4 has been updated. The updated paper outlinesthe many myths that are put forward by the mass immigration lobby in support ofthe current levels of immigration and dispels each myth in turn.
- [Family Permits for EU citizens[1] in Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/family-permits-for-eu-citizens1-in-britain/)
- [Students and the Net Migration Target - Why Students Must Remain a Part of the Target](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/students-and-the-net-migration-target-why-students-must-remain-a-part-of-the-target/) - Summary 1. Students should not be removed from either the net migration statistics or the target of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands. Competitor countries include students in their net migration statistics and also publish students in separate administrative visa statistics, much like the Home Office. About 20% of students stay on legally.
- [Students and the Net Migration Target - Why Students Must Remain a Part of the Target](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/students-and-the-net-migration-target-why-students-must-remain-a-part-of-the-target-2/) - Summary 1. Students should not be removed from either the net migration statistics or the target of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands. Competitor countries include students in their net migration statistics and also publish students in separate administrative visa statistics, much like the Home Office. About 20% of students stay on legally.
- [Revelations About Migration Observatory](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/revelations-about-migration-observatory/) - Commenting on thisweekend’s revelations about the Migration Observatory, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "The Migration Observatory press release avoided the central point, namely theirinvolvement in a programme called ‘Changing Minds’ together with a number ofother pro-immigration organisations. "I was astonished todiscover that they are part of a coordinated effort by a group ofpro-immigration charities
- [Legal Aid In Immigration And Asylum Cases](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/legal-aid-in-immigration-and-asylum-cases/) - As always with these legal briefing papers it is stressed that they are not published as authoritative legal advice but for general guidance and information for users of the Migration Watch website. Restrictions on the availability of legal aid are imposed by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. the provisions of
- [Bbc Newsnight Poll – Romanian And Bulgarian Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bbc-newsnight-poll-romanian-and-bulgarian-migration/) - This is a stunningsurvey, which the BBC has rather desperately tried to play down. Thepercentages look small but when multiplied by the size of the work force theyproduce large numbers. One percent of Romanians of working age (total 15.4million) actively considering work in the UK amounts to 150,000 and fourpercent of working age Bulgarians (total 4.9
- [The British In Europe](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-british-in-europe/) - There are 407,000 British workers in other countries of the European Union, compared to over 1.4 million workers from another EU country in the UK. To see the full Briefing Paper No 4.21 click here.
- [Changing Minds – The Financing Of The Pro-mass Immigration Lobby](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/changing-minds-the-financing-of-the-pro-mass-immigration-lobby/) - The Daily Mail recently reported on the Diana MemorialFund’s financing of a pro mass immigration campaign. The article highlighted the role of theMigration Observatory in this campaign, called “Changing Minds”. The MigrationObservatory has not responded to our questions seeking clarification of theirposition. However, we have now looked furtherinto this issue ourselves and have found a
- [Family Permits For Eu Citizens In Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/family-permits-for-eu-citizens-in-britain/) - A paperissued today by Migration Watch UK reveals that 100,000 dependantsof EU nationals resident in Britain entered the UK in the last five years withno conditions attached but with full and immediate access to benefits. Thegovernment’s reform of the Immigration Rules require British citizens to beearning £18,600 before they can bring in a spouse from outside
- [New Report Shows Britain Is ‘open For Business’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-report-shows-britain-is-open-for-business/) - Britain’simmigration system is remarkably business friendly, contrary to the stories putout by some of the financial press, says a new report by Migration Watch UKpublished today. Infact thousands of skilled worker (Tier 2), Exceptional Talent, and GraduateEntrepreneurs visas remained unfilled, despite cries that talented people arebeing denied access to the UK to work. ‘Insteadof thousands of bogus
- [Immigration And Visa Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-visa-statistics/) - Commenting on the latest immigration and visa statisticsreleased this morning, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “The latest immigration figures are very good news. Netmigration is down by 89,000 on the previous year and the government haveachieved this without harming the business or university sectors. University applicants are up by 5% on
- [Migration Watch Uk Media Comment On Vince Cable’s Remarks](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-media-comment-on-vince-cables-remarks/) - Commenting on Vince Cable's remarks, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said:"Vince Cable is not only completely out of touch with public opinion but also completely wrong on his facts. University applications went up by 5% last year. The fall in students was almost entirely amongst college applicants from the Indian Subcontinent where
- [Eu Migrant Access To The British Welfare State](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-migrant-access-to-the-british-welfare-state/) - 1. The government should strongly resist efforts by the EU to further weaken British control over access tour welfare system. The Habitual Residence Test 2. It was announced today that the UK is to be taken to the European Court of Justice over its rules regarding access to welfare for EU immigrants (See here). 3. The
- [Students And The Net Migration Target](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/students-and-the-net-migration-target/) - Onthe eve of debates in both Houses of Parliament, Migration Watch UK has issued BriefingPaper No 2.24 underlining the need to continue including students in thecalculation of net migration. Keypoints as follows:  Our major competitors do include them (as Universities UK now apparentlyaccept). To remove them would destroy the credibility of the government’simmigration
- [Students And Net Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/students-and-net-migration/) - On Thursday 6 June both Housesof Parliament debated the demand by five chairmen of Parliamentary Committeesthat the government remove students from their net migration target. Thegovernment have flatly refused to the fury of these eminent Parliamentarians. Theypoint out that the Universities Lobby have got their facts completely wrong.Contrary to their claims, our main competitor countries
- [London’s ‘demographic Explosion’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/londons-demographic-explosion/) - Today, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson made a speech about investment in the future of London. He pointed to the ‘demographic explosion’ now occurring and the resulting huge shortage of both homes and school places but he made no reference to the impact of immigration. He seemed to regard the population increase as entirely
- [A Lesson In Spin From The Migration Matters Trust](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-lesson-in-spin-from-the-migration-matters-trust/) - This week we were treated tothe news that ‘opposition to immigration drops when people are told about theeconomic benefits of net migration’. Former Labour ImmigrationMinister Barbara Roche – who presided over much of Labour’s immigrationshambles – claimed that ‘when the full facts of migration are presented to theBritish people, they begin to recognise that simple
- [Family Migration To The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/family-migration-to-the-uk/) - Summary The vast majority of familyvisas – 77% – were granted to the partners/spouses of British citizens orsettled migrants. The largest number of grants is to Pakistani and Indianapplicants. Some family migrants are more permanent than others – data suggeststhat the majority of people who enter on partner visas from the IndianSubcontinent have gained settlement
- [Operation Nexus](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/operation-nexus/) - This is the title of an operationlaunched by the Metropolitan Police in September 2012 which has recently attracteda certain amount of media attention. Theobject of it is to use deportation as a sanction against foreign unconvictedcriminals. Deporting convicted criminalsis not usually a problem, subject to the operation of Article 8 (right tofamily life) of the
- [Marriage Visas And English Language Competence](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/marriage-visas-and-english-language-competence/) - Paragraph 281 of theImmigration Rules sets out the requirements which have to be met for a foreignspouse or civil partner (other than one from inside the European EconomicArea) of a British citizen or person settled in the United Kingdom to be grantedentry clearance enabling him or her to enter the United Kingdom. In November2010 paragraph
- [Migration Watch Uk Comment On Prebble Report](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-prebble-report/) - Commenting on the BBC Trust’s review “ABBC Trust Review of the Breadth of Opinion Reflected in the BBC’s Output”(Stuart Prebble Report), Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK,said: “This report is a lost opportunity. The BBC Trust’s conclusion that there is nopersuasive evidence that significant areas of opinion are not given dueweight today simply skates over
- [Immigration Undercounted By ½ Million. Statisticians Refuse To Publish New Figures. Revised Figures Would Show 4 Million Immigrants Under Labour.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-undercounted-by-½-million-statisticians-refuse-to-publish-new-figures-revised-figures-would-show-4-million-immigrants-under-labour/) - A study issued today byMigrationwatch UK has examined how the number of EU immigrants hasbeen undercounted by half a million over a ten year period – a difference thesize of Manchester. The mistake wasdiscovered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) when they compared theresults of the recent census with the population that they had expected
- [Home Affairs Committee Report On The Work Of The Uk Border Agency](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-affairs-committee-report-on-the-work-of-the-uk-border-agency/) - Commenting on the Home Affairs Committee Report, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "The government inherited a system in chaos. There have been signs of improvement but this new backlog of half a million cases is surely a wake-up call. The immigration system is struggling again and must be allocated substantially greater resources
- [No Sign Yet Of Any Significant Inflow From Southern Europe](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-sign-yet-of-any-significant-inflow-from-southern-europe/) - 1. To see if there has been a recent increase inimmigration from the EU14 there are three useful sources of data: Long TermInternational Migration Data (LTIM); Annual Population Survey (APS) and;National Insurance Numbers (NINOs). TheAPS data has only been available since 2004 and so this is the start date forthe analysis LTIMdata 2. Since 2004
- [Comment On The Office For Budgetary Responsibility Report](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-the-office-for-budgetary-responsibility-report/) - Commenting on the report released by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “Once again the OBR has given only part of the story. It is true that, in the medium term, migration provides a larger pool of working age people which increases tax revenues. But, of course, migrants
- [Public Administration Select Committee Report On Migration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/public-administration-select-committee-report-on-migration-statistics/) - Commentingon the report, Sir AndrewGreen, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "Better statistics would, of course, be helpful. Butblunt instruments have their uses. The immigration target has been vital inturning around immigration policy which has already resulted in a reduction ofapproximately 100,000 in net migration. The exact figure may not be precise butthere is no doubt
- [Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions Review of the Balance of Competencies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-office-and-department-for-work-and-pensions-review-of-the-balance-of-competencies/) - Internal Movement: Free Movement of Persons Response From Migration Watch UK Summary 1. EU competence develops over time and, in practice, is irreversible. The addition of a dozen new members with a total population of about 100 million and a standard of living of roughly a quarter of the EU 15 is, combined with the
- [Home Office Review of the Balance of Competencies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-office-review-of-the-balance-of-competencies/) - Asylum and Immigration Migration Watch UK Evidence Asylum 1. HMG’s approach to EU policy has been well judged. The UK has opted-in only to those relatively few Directives that will bring benefit. Others which might well have impeded the operation of the British asylum system have not been opted-in to. The government are also right
- [Votes for Commonwealth Citizens](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/votes-for-commonwealth-citizens/) - Summary 1. There could be as many as one million migrants from the Commonwealth who have the right to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, despite not being British citizens. Voting rights for the whole Commonwealth are an anachronism from the days of the British Empire and should be brought to an end except for citizens
- [Votes for Commonwealth Citizens](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/votes-for-commonwealth-citizens-2/) - Summary 1. There could be as many as one million migrants from the Commonwealth who have the right to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, despite not being British citizens. Voting rights for the whole Commonwealth are an anachronism from the days of the British Empire and should be brought to an end except for citizens
- [The Obr And Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-obr-and-immigration/) - This year’s reportby the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) on the sustainability of thegovernment’s fiscal position included an Annex on immigration. This suggested that the UK’s public debt / GDPratio would be considerably enhanced by a higher level of immigration. The report is remarkably frank about the lack ofevidence for any significant economic benefits as a
- [Chief Inspector Of Immigration: Report On Juxtaposed Controls](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/chief-inspector-of-immigration-report-on-juxtaposed-controls/) - Commenting on the report, Mr Alp Mehmet,Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: "The Chief Inspector is right topoint to inadequate Border Force resources, especially at Calais. It is timethe government accepted that an effective border control can't be had on thecheap and allocate sufficient resources to address an issue of significantpublic concern. Security concerns
- [Chris Bryant’s Speech](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/chris-bryants-speech/) - Commenting on ChrisBryant’s Immigration speech, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UKsaid: "Chris Bryant's speech ducksthe main issue. It says little about the level of immigration or howLabour intends to bring it down after allowing the total to reach four millionon their watch. We can all agree about young unemployed local workers beinggiven a
- [The Obr And Immigration (revised)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-obr-and-immigration-revised/) - Summary 1.The recent OBR report was deeply misleading on immigration because it: - chose for the summary an entirelytheoretical scenario. - made no assessment of the government’sactual policy; indeed, the general effect was to misrepresent it. - made no mention of the population impactof its central case which would add 15million to our population in mid-century
- [Ons Labour Market Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ons-labour-market-statistics/) - Commenting on the ONS’s Labour market statistics, Sir AndrewGreen, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: “This increase of just over a third in Romanian and Bulgarianworkers in the UK over the past year is a sharp increase on the previous trend.It suggests that still larger numbers will arrive next year when our labourmarket is fully
- [The Migration Matters Trust And Their Estimate Of Migration From Bulgaria And Romania](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-migration-matters-trust-and-their-estimate-of-migration-from-bulgaria-and-romania/) - On 8th August the Migration MattersTrust (MMT), chaired by Barbara Roche and co-chaired by Gavin Barwell MPpublished their estimate of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria which theyput at 20,000 for 2014.[1],[2]. On 18 August an article in The Observer quoted AtulHatwal the Director of the MMT as saying that higher claims were “unfounded andinflammatory”.[3] This, of
- [Immigration at the Party Conferences 2013](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-at-the-party-conferences-2013/) - Summary Immigration was the dog that prowled but didn’t bark. As expected, UKIP majored on it but did not make any policy announcements. Labour put forward a series of relatively trivial policy suggestions but there was little recognition of the mass immigration that they had triggered in government and no commitment to any significant reduction.
- [Foreign Students – How Many Have Left?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/foreign-students-how-many-have-left/) - Summary 1. The most recent statistics included a new data set which for the first time gives an indication of the number of non-EU students who left the UK in 2012. This short note explains what this new information tells us. Existing Data 2. Prior to 2012 the International Passenger (IPS) Survey failed to capture
- [EU and the Roma](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-and-the-roma/) - Summary 1. This note compares the living conditions of the Roma in Romania and Bulgaria with those in the other Eastern European member states.[1] They suffer from widespread discrimination in all these countries, as well as significantly worse living standards than their compatriots. However, the evidence suggests that the Roma suffer from less discrimination in Romania
- [Immigration and Scottish independence](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-scottish-independence/) - Summary 1. Immigration is a major political issue in the UK yet the Scottish White paper blithely assumes that a Scottish government could run an immigration policy in conflict wit that of the rest of the UK and still retain an open border. The reality is that, if Scotland does become independent and joins the
- [Immigration and Scottish independence](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-scottish-independence-2/) - Summary 1. Immigration is a major political issue in the UK yet the Scottish White paper blithely assumes that a Scottish government could run an immigration policy in conflict wit that of the rest of the UK and still retain an open border. The reality is that, if Scotland does become independent and joins the
- [Foreign Citizens Votes Could Critically Affect Outcome Of 2015 Election And Eu Referendum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/foreign-citizens-votes-could-critically-affect-outcome-of-2015-election-and-eu-referendum/) - A millionforeign citizens can vote in all British elections Commonwealth Citizenswho have not yet qualified for British Citizenship, or have not even applied,should no longer be entitled to vote in British general elections, nor in theforthcoming referendum on UK membership of the EU. That is the conclusion of a report issued today by Migration Watch UK. The
- [Response To The Latest Net Migration Figures – Students Are A Key Element In Net Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-latest-net-migration-figures-students-are-a-key-element-in-net-migration/) - Despite a small increase over thequarter, these latest figures show that government policy is succeeding in reducinginflows from outside the EU – by 50,000 over the year. Future reductionsin net migration will depend on ensuring that people leave when they should. Inthis connection the student figures are striking. Over the past fiveyears the average inflow
- [Press Comment On The End Of The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-comment-on-the-end-of-the-seasonal-agricultural-workers-scheme/) - Welcoming the Government’s decisionto bring to an end the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, Sir Andrew Green,Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: ‘This decision has to be right. Wenow have a labour market of 500 million in the European Union, it simply makesno sense to bring in unskilled workers from outside. This decision is awelcome indication
- [Labour’s Link Between Immigration And Apprenticeships](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labours-link-between-immigration-and-apprenticeships/) - Summary 1.Labour’s scheme to trade work permitsfor new apprenticeships faces practical difficulties. Work permits are nowadaysissued for higher level positions so apprentices would not be immediatereplacements. There would be no impact on low skilled migration which seems tohave been the context for this announcement. Introduction 2. On the Andrew Marr show on 22September Ed Miliband
- [Proceeds Of Crime Act Successfully Used Against An Employer Of Illegal Immigrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/proceeds-of-crime-act-successfully-used-against-an-employer-of-illegal-immigrants/) - Section 15 ofthe Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 prescribes civil penaltieswhich may be imposed by the Home office on employers found to have been employingillegal immigrants, i.e. people who have no leave to remain in the UK, whoseleave has expired or who have leave but whose leave is subject to a conditionprecluding them from
- [Britain Is Open For Business – October 2013](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-is-open-for-business-october-2013/) - Summary 1. Despite the government’s substantial range of measures toreduce net migration to the tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament, theUK remains very much open for business. There are numerous categories underwhich people can come to the UK to work, do business and study, allowing peopleto invest in and start up companies
- [Immigration At The Party Conferences 2013](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-at-the-party-conferences-2013-2/) - Summary Immigration was thedog that prowled but didn’t bark. Asexpected, UKIP majored on it but did not make any policy announcements. Labour put forward a series of relativelytrivial policy suggestions but there was little recognition of the massimmigration that they had triggered in government and no commitment to anysignificant reduction. TheConservatives claimed credit for the
- [Asylum Seekers And The Right To Work In The European Economic Area](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-seekers-and-the-right-to-work-in-the-european-economic-area/) - Summary Everymember state of the EEA, except the Republic of Ireland and Lithuania, grantsasylum seekers the right to work at some point during their applicationprocess. The United Kingdom grants the right to work after 12 months if theapplicant is still awaiting a decision. However, the job must be on theShortage Occupation List. Other majorrecipients of
- [Press Comment On The Draft Immigration Bill](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-comment-on-the-draft-immigration-bill/) - Commenting on the Government’s new draft Immigration Bill, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "The Government should be commended for their determined approach to tackling illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants add to the pressure on public services and undermine the wages of British workers. It is part of a properly functioning immigration system
- [Home Affairs Committee Report On Asylum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-affairs-committee-report-on-asylum/) - Commentingon the latest Home Affairs Committee report on Asylum, Sir Andrew Green,Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "Thisreport seems to lack impartiality. Indeed it could well have been written bythe asylum lobby. With asylum seekers queuing up in France to get into Britain,the system cannot be that bad." Follow uson Twitter @migrationwatch
- [Foreign Students – How Many Have Left?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/foreign-students-how-many-have-left-2/) - Summary 1. Themost recent statistics included a new data set which for the first time givesan indication of the number of non-EU students who left the UK in 2012. Thisshort note explains what this new information tells us. Readthe full Briefing Paper
- [Non-active Eu Migrants And Access To Welfare](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/non-active-eu-migrants-and-access-to-welfare/) - Summary 1. Despite overall low rates of unemployment of EUcitizens in the UK, the UK also contains the largest proportion of EUjob-seekers who have never worked, suggesting that our residence based benefitssystem is all too easy to access. These migrants cost the taxpayer nearly £400million a year. Whether they come originally for benefits or for
- [The Release Of 2012-based Population Projections](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-release-of-2012-based-population-projections/) - Commenting on the population projections released by the ONS today, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration WatchUK, said: ''These latest projections confirm that we arestill on course for a continued and substantial increase in population. By theend of the next Parliament the population will have increased by 3 million, theequivalent of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow,
- [Response To Cream Paper On Contribution Of Migrants To Economy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-cream-paper-on-contribution-of-migrants-to-economy/) - Summary 1. The press release, much publicised by the BBC, was heavily slanted to obscure the report’s finding that all migrants in the UK, regardless of their year of arrival, made a negative fiscal contribution of £95.4 billion between 1995 and 2011. It also obscured the finding that, in respect of those who have arrived
- [Briefing Note: Romania And Bulgaria – Will The Government’s Proposed Benefit Changes Be Effective?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-note-romania-and-bulgaria-will-the-governments-proposed-benefit-changes-be-effective/) - 1. Although EU citizens are often described as having ‘free movement’ within the EU there are some restrictions on their right to live in the UK. All EU citizens have an initial right to reside for three months after which they have a right to reside only if they are exercising their treaty rights as
- [Scottish Immigration Proposals Unsound And Unacceptable](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/scottish-immigration-proposals-unsound-and-unacceptable/) - Comment on Scottish White Paper The proposals in the Scottish White Paper issued on 26 November are unsound for Scotland and unacceptable to the rest of the UK. They would provide a barn door to England. That is the conclusion of a study released today by Migration Watch UK. The White Paper starts with the assertion
- [Migration Watch Uk Evidence To Mac Review On Low Skilled Work](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-evidence-to-mac-review-on-low-skilled-work/) - Summary 1. Large scale immigration by low paid workers from the EU reduces the wages of low skilled British workers, adds nothing to GDP per head but adds considerably to pressure on public services. In-work benefits are a huge incentive and must be reformed. Recommendations are at paragraph 14. Introduction 2. Migration Watch UK believes
- [Press Release: Options For Romanian And Bulgarian Migrants In 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-release-options-for-romanian-and-bulgarian-migrants-in-2014/) - UK Wages and Benefits a Magnet to Two Million Romanians and Bulgarians in Spain and Italy Some of the two million Romanian and Bulgarian migrants in Spain and Italy may find the lure of Britain difficult to resist. This is the conclusion of a new report from the think tank Migration Watch UK. It finds that
- [Lib Dem Immigration Policy “vacuous”](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lib-dem-immigration-policy-vacuous/) - Last night on the BBC2 programme “The truth about immigration”, Vince Cable was dismissive of the government’s immigration objective and suggested that it was time to be “practical”. As it happens, the Lib Dem think tank Centre Forum has just published a paper, sprinkled with quotations from Vince Cable, entitled “The business case for immigration
- [International Students: The Case for Refining their Visa Regime](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-the-case-for-refining-their-visa-regime/) - Summary 1. The Tier 4 student visa should be divided into three visas, one for each type of study: University, Further Education, and English Language. This would allow for a better understanding of the international student sector and for greater flexibility in entry requirements that properly reflects the different risks that exist in each part
- [A summary history of immigration to Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-summary-history-of-immigration-to-britain/) - NB Please see an updated briefing on the topics discussed in this paper by clicking this link: 'The History of Immigration to the UK' 1. Introduction 1.1 There have always been episodes of migration to Britain but, as this paper demonstrates, those episodes were small and demographically insignificant until the Second World War. A study
- [Latest Population Projections For The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/latest-population-projections-for-the-uk/) - 1. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) revises its population projections for the UK every two years. The 2012 based projections have recently been published. [1] 2. The population is currently around 64 million. By the end of the next Parliament it is projected to have grown by 3 million people – six times the population of
- [Fraudulently Obtained Visas](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/fraudulently-obtained-visas/) - There are reports in today’s newspapers of fraud on an industrial scale by which applicants for student visas are enabled to arrange for fluent English speakers to present them for the purpose of being tested on their proficiency in English. It will be the subject of a Panorama programme on 10 February. Any applicant indulging
- [Press Comment On Bbc Panorama Programme On Student Visa Scandal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-comment-on-bbc-panorama-programme-on-student-visa-scandal/) - Commenting on the BBC Panorama programme on student visas, Alp Mehmet Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: "This Panorama programme is clear evidence of abuse that must have been apparent to a fair number of people in the education sector. This may help to explain why only about one third of the two hundred thousand non
- [International Students: The Case For Refining Their Visa Regime](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-the-case-for-refining-their-visa-regime-2/) - Summary 1. The Tier 4 student visa should be divided into three visas, one for each type of study: University, Further Education, and English Language. This would allow for a better understanding of the international student sector and for greater flexibility in entry requirements that properly reflects the different risks that exist in each part
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On The National Statistics Of Romanians And Bulgarians In Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-the-national-statistics-of-romanians-and-bulgarians-in-uk/) - The Office for National Statistics has today released its quarterly Labour Market Statistics which show that the number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK in the period October-December 2013 was estimated to be 144,000. This is compared to 102,000 for the same period in 2012, an increase of 41 percent. Commenting on these figures, Sir
- [The Latest Immigration Figures Are Grist To The Mill For Euro-sceptics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-latest-immigration-figures-are-grist-to-the-mill-for-euro-sceptics/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UK 28 February, 2014 Yesterday’s immigration figures are clearly bad news for the Government. A doubling of net migration from the EU to 130,000 in the year to last September has blown them off course. A continued inflow from Poland seems to have been augmented by workers from Italy,
- [The Story Of Net Migration – 1975-2013](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-story-of-net-migration-1975-2013/) - In a major blow to one of the government’s flagship commitments, the latest data shows that net migration in the year to September 2013 reached 212,000, just 40,000 shy of the largest net flow into Britain since passenger flows have been recorded. Net migration on the present scale is unprecedented in history. Between 1975 and
- [The Institute Of Directors And Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-institute-of-directors-and-immigration/) - The Institute of Directors (IoD) have been busy of late. Earlier last week Simon Walker, the Director General, argued in a debate that London needed more immigration. Later in the week, Mr Walker described a speech made by James Brokenshire, the Minister of State for Immigration, as ‘feeble and pathetic’. (See here) Mr Brokenshire’s crime? He suggesting
- [The Impacts Of Migration On Uk Native Employment](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impacts-of-migration-on-uk-native-employment/) - Summary 1. The government review of the literature on the impact of immigration on UK native employment focused on the link between immigration and unemployment. It concluded that there was evidence of labour market displacement in times of recession but relatively little evidence in times of economic growth. The other aspect, that the majority of
- [Immigrants Have Cost The Tax Payer Over £140 Billion Since 1995](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigrants-have-cost-the-tax-payer-over-140-billion-since-1995/) - Recent immigrants from 2001 to 2011 might have cost over £25 bn. Migration Watch UK today issued a new assessment of the cost of immigration to the tax payer. The outcome is that immigrants cost the taxpayer over £140 billion or more than £22 million a day over the 17 years 1995 – 2011. The Migration Watch
- [Migration Watch Paper On The Fiscal Effects Of Immigration To The Uk And The Response From Cream](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-paper-on-the-fiscal-effects-of-immigration-to-the-uk-and-the-response-from-cream/) - 1. CReAM has responded to our paper by misrepresenting the points we made without answering them[1]. Perhaps this was a ploy to distract attention from the weaknesses we have identified but it is not what we should expect from an academic institution. 2. The Migration Watch analysis is anything but the “violent attack” claimed. On
- [House Of Lords Select Committee On The Constitution Findings On The Immigration Bill](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-of-lords-select-committee-on-the-constitution-findings-on-the-immigration-bill/) - The Select Committee brings three clauses of the Immigration Bill to the attention of the house. Read the Full Briefing Paper No 8.76
- [The Deeply Flawed Prospectus Of Conservatives For Managed Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-deeply-flawed-prospectus-of-conservatives-for-managed-migration/) - By Sir Andrew GreenChairman of Migration Watch UK Mark Field’s launch on Tuesday of a new group “Conservatives for Managed Migration” received a warm welcome from the immigration lobby and from the Labour party but it is hard to take them seriously. The group appears to have very little knowledge of the actual policy issues
- [Ict Visas And The Immigration Figures Are The Home Office Fiddling The Figures?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ict-visas-and-the-immigration-figures-are-the-home-office-fiddling-the-figures/) - Last week there were press reports that the government was going to ‘massage’ the immigration figures by shortening the short term Intra Company Transfer (ICT) route to less than one year so as to take 20,000 out of the immigration figures [1]. However, by no means all will be coming for a full year thus qualifying
- [Over Half A Million Eu Migrants Expected In The Next 5 Years – That Is More Than The Population Of Manchester](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/over-half-a-million-eu-migrants-expected-in-the-next-5-years-that-is-more-than-the-population-of-manchester/) - The recent increase in migration from the EU is likely to continue into the medium term throwing the government’s immigration policy off course and creating tension between the UK’s continued membership of the EU and control of our borders. That is the conclusion of a paper issued today by Migration Watch UK. The paper, the first estimate
- [Some Clarifying Points On Eu Migration, Clegg &farage Eu Debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/some-clarifying-points-on-eu-migration-clegg-farage-eu-debate/) - At last night’s debate on the European Union between Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg, the following exchange took place regarding Migration Watch’s recently released paper ‘The Outlook for EU migration’: Nigel Farage: “Indeed there was a report out this morning from Migration Watch which said that even at current numbers we’ve got to build a
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Yvette Cooper’s Immigration Speech](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-yvette-coopers-immigration-speech/) - Commenting on Yvette Cooper’s speech, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This speech is elegant camouflage for the absence of any real policy on the central issue of scale. Net foreign immigration under the last Labour government totalled nearly four million, two thirds from outside the European Union. Yvette Cooper now says she wants to see a
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On The Revised Net Migration Statistics Released By The Ons](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-the-revised-net-migration-statistics-released-by-the-ons/) - The ONS has today revised the net migration figures between 2001 and 2011, in light of the undercounting of immigration during that period, discovered as a result of the 2011 Census. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: “This is final confirmation that net foreign immigration under Labour totalled nearly 4 million,
- [Nick Clegg In The Debate And The True Scale Of Eu Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nick-clegg-in-the-debate-and-the-true-scale-of-eu-migration/) - On April 2nd The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader took part in a debate on the European Union in which questions were taken from members of the studio audience. One question asked about the level of immigration and its impact on infrastructure[1]. “Although I believe that immigration is essential for
- [Labour Still Doesn’t Grasp Public Anger At Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labour-still-doesnt-grasp-public-anger-at-immigration/) - By Sir Andrew Green Yvette Cooper’s speech on immigration yesterday illustrates the huge gap between the public and politicians. The shadow home secretary’s remarks amounted to an elegant camouflage for Labour’s absence of policy on the key issues. The central issue is not whether immigration is good or bad, but what is a desirable scale
- [Mrs Roche On The “benefits” Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mrs-roche-on-the-benefits-of-immigration/) - In her article for The Independent on Sunday on 20 April, Barbara Roche criticised Yvette Cooper for failing, in her recent speech, to make “the single most important argument on migration; that immigrants put more into Britain than they take out”. She continued “Their net contribution – equivalent to more than 4p on the basic
- [Many East Europeans Work Hard But How Many Pay Tax?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/many-east-europeans-work-hard-but-how-many-pay-tax/) - About 150,000 pay only £1 a week net tax A new study out today reveals some of the ‘hidden’ costs to the UK taxpayer of the unprecedented wave of low paid Eastern European immigration in the past decade and how they are being ‘subsidised’ by the UK taxpayer. The research from think tank Migration Watch
- [Tax Contribution Of East European Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tax-contribution-of-east-european-migrants/) - In a Today Programme interview on 30 April about our paper published that day (see Briefing Paper 1.38), Mr Portes did not challenge our findings that low paid migrants pay little or no net direct tax. However, he suggested that we had overlooked the effect of other taxes paid by the low-paid. He made the particular
- [The Guardian And Data ‘facts’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-guardian-and-data-facts/) - The Guardian recently posted an article in their ‘DataBlog’ section which claimed to examine the facts behind our headline claim that 150,000 eastern European migrants pay no more than £1 a week in direct tax. It is disappointing that despite writing under the tagline “Facts are sacred” the author, Tom Wills is unable or unwilling
- [International Students – A Guide To Visa Conditions Across The English Speaking World](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-a-guide-to-visa-conditions-across-the-english-speaking-world/) - In 2012 the Home Secretary announced her plans to tighten some aspects of the student visa system, mainly below graduate level. The Australian, American and Canadian governments have also recently reviewed their student regimes. This note compares the outcomes and demonstrates that the UK is internationally competitive.
- [A Summary History Of Immigration To Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-summary-history-of-immigration-to-britain-2/) - Introduction 1.1 There have always been episodes of migration to Britain but, as this paper demonstrates, those episodes were small and demographically insignificant until the Second World War. A study of official census records from 1851 until the present shows that the number of people born abroad living in Britain was very small until the
- [Press Comment On Ons Labour Market Statistics Release Of Employment Data](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-comment-on-ons-labour-market-statistics-release-of-employment-data/) - Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "Quarterly statistics fluctuate but these figures show an increase of 28,000 Romanians and Bulgarians in employment compared to the same period last year. Most of this has occurred when transitional controls were still in place making it likely that there will be an increase in
- [Another Response To Mr Portes On Taxes Paid By East Europeans](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/another-response-to-mr-portes-on-taxes-paid-by-east-europeans/) - In a series of some 50 tweets Mr Portes (of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research) is claiming that the Migrationwatch estimate that 150,000 Eastern European employees can be paying no more than about £1 a week in net direct taxes cannot be substantiated, and implying that it must be wrong. In fact
- [The Outlook for EU Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-outlook-for-eu-migration/) - Summary 1. Large scale net migration is a new phenomenon, having begun in 1998. Between 1998 and 2010 around two thirds of net migration came from outside the EU. Government policy is now achieving substantial reductions in non-EU net migration. British emigration is fairly stable. However, efforts to reduce total net migration risk being undermined
- [International Students: Key Issues Explained - June 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-key-issues-explained-june-2014/) - 1. Are international students of value to Britain? Yes, provided that the majority return at the end of their studies. Students pay fees and contribute to local economies through their living expenses. They also take their expertise when they leave which benefits their home country. Once home, they are more likely to do business with
- [The economics of large scale immigration - July 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economics-of-large-scale-immigration-july-2014/) - Summary 1. The economic case for large scale immigration to the UK has faded quite remarkably as it has come under examination in recent years. The solid evidence suggests very little, if any, overall benefit. GDP per head 2. This is the best broad estimate of the economic impact so the report of the House
- [Britain is Open for Business - September 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-is-open-for-business-september-2014/) - Summary 1. Despite the government’s substantial range of measures to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament, the UK remains very much open for business. There are numerous categories under which people can come to the UK to work, do business and study, allowing people to invest in
- [The Demand for Housing in London](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-demand-for-housing-in-london/) - Key Findings London’s huge population increase in the last two decades and resulting housing shortage has been driven solely by immigration. The UK born have remained at 5.2 million while the foreign born have doubled to 3 million. The majority of children born in the capital are now to foreign born parents. Between 2001 and
- [Press Comment On The Latest Immigration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-comment-on-the-latest-immigration-statistics/) - Commenting on the latest Immigration Statistics, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “These new figures confirm that migration from the EU has blown the government off course in meeting its overall target. In particular we note that the number of new NINOs issued to Romania and Bulgarian citizens in the first quarter
- [Question Time And The History Of Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/question-time-and-the-history-of-migration/) - On Thursday evening’s edition of Question Time Neil Hamilton, UKIP’s Deputy Chairman, claimed in a discussion on immigration that more migrants had arrived in 2010 alone than had arrived in the entire period between 1066 and 1950. Mr Hamilton cited the Migration Watch UK website as his source. The source of this claim is in
- [Migration Watch Uk Comment On The Latest Population Estimates](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-the-latest-population-estimates/) - The UK population grew by 400,000 between mid-2012 and mid-2013, just under half of which is the direct result of net migration. Just over half of the increase was the result of more births than deaths however other statistics show that over a quarter of births in England and Wales were to mothers born overseas. This
- [The Mac On The Obr And Public Debt](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-mac-on-the-obr-and-public-debt/) - On Thursday the Office of Budget Responsibility will release their latest Fiscal Sustainability report. The Migration Advisory Committee have looked at the OBR’s 2013 Fiscal Sustainability Report and their finding that higher net migration would lead to a reduction in debt as a percentage of GDP over a 50 year time frame. The OBR had
- [The Obr Report On Fiscal Sustainability](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-obr-report-on-fiscal-sustainability/) - The OBR have now released their annual Fiscal Sustainability Report for 2014. Public Sector Net Debt (PSND) in March 2014 stood at 76.1% of GDP a figure of £1,273 billion, or £48,200 per household. The OBR looked ahead for the next 50 years and found that the budget deficit is projected to widen in the
- [The Mac Report On Low Skilled Migration: Contrasting Accounts In The Press](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-mac-report-on-low-skilled-migration-contrasting-accounts-in-the-press/) - The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) yesterday released a comprehensive and thoughtful document entitled ‘Migrants in Low Skilled Work: The Growth of EU and non-EU Labour in Low-Skilled Jobs and its Impact on the UK’. The document, which stretched to almost 350 pages, examined the impacts of immigration on the UK with reference to both skilled
- [Immigration Act 2014 – Article 8 Echr](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-act-2014-article-8-echr/) - Public interest considerations 14 July 2014 1 There has been much concern in recent years about the number of cases in which convicted foreign criminals have been able to frustrate decisions to remove or deport them from the United Kingdom by reliance in appeals against such decisions on Article 8 of the European Convention on
- [Minimum Income Requirement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/minimum-income-requirement/) - The Court of Appeal in the recent case of MM v. Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWCA Civ. 985 had to consider the minimum income requirement introduced into the Immigration Rules in June 2012. Previously the requirement for the issue of a marriage visa, as set out in Rule 281 was that the parties
- [A Thoroughly Bogus Petition](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-thoroughly-bogus-petition/) - On Thursday 24th July, Million+, a think tank associated with non-Russell Group Universities, announced its support for the centre right think tank ‘Bright Blue’ in its campaign to have students removed from the net migration target. Million+, whose affiliates obviously have a significant interest in high fee-paying overseas students, and Bright Blue, which appears to be
- [The Impact Of Immigration Controls On Skilled Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-immigration-controls-on-skilled-migrants/) - There is no evidence of a negative impact of immigration controls on the availability of skilled migrants. Less than half the Tier 2 quota has been taken up in the three years since it was introduced. Nor is there any evidence to link a fall in non-EU skilled migration with an increase from the EU
- [The Niesr On Immigration– Maximising Our Population For Minimum Gain?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-niesr-on-immigration-maximising-our-population-for-minimum-gain/) - 1. This quarter’s National Institute Economic Review is a special immigration edition. The key paper essentially claims that Britain will be worse off if net migration is reduced to the tens of thousands, as the government has pledged. 2. Using a dynamic overlapping generations computable general equilibrium model (tell that to the man on the
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Huge Rise In A8 Employment](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-huge-rise-in-a8-employment/) - Commenting on the figures, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: "This is the sharpest increase in A8 migration since the boom year of 2007. The fact that it has occurred despite measures to restrict benefits underlines the need for Britain to renegotiate with the EU about the terms of free movement of
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Romanian And Bulgarian Labour Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-romanian-and-bulgarian-labour-migration/) - Commenting on the figures released in today’s Labour Force Survey, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "A 13,000 increase in the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers compared to the same quarter last year is significant, especially as transitional controls were still in place for the first half of the year. Once dependants are factored in it
- [What Can Be Done About High Levels Of Immigration From The Eu?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-can-be-done-about-high-levels-of-immigration-from-the-eu/) - The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that over the year to June 2014 the annual increase in the number of people from Eastern European countries in employment in the UK has reached record levels, surpassing even the previous peak annual increase in the year to June 2007. This has raised the
- [Comment On Express Story On Illegal Immigrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-express-story-on-illegal-immigrants/) - This morning a story has appeared on the front page of The Express newspaper with the headline 'Fury over Britain's 2m Illegal Migrants' which claims to be based on Migration Watch UK research. It is reported that Migration Watch UK estimates that 52 migrants attempt to enter the UK clandestinely every day and that for
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On The August 2014 Immigration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-the-august-2014-immigration-statistics/) - Today’s numbers are deeply disappointing with an across the board increase in immigration, a fall in British emigration, and no increase in departures. Net migration at this level is simply not sustainable. It will put huge further strain on our infrastructure, housing and school places. If current levels were allowed to continue, the population would
- [Response To The Times Article ‘drop In Overseas Students Blamed On Migrant Rules’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-times-article-drop-in-overseas-students-blamed-on-migrant-rules/) - On Friday 26 September The Times ran a story with the headline ‘Drop in overseas students blamed on migrant rules’. The report was based on claims made by the University umbrella organisation Universities UK, which is primarily concerned with maximising overseas student numbers in order to further the financial prospects of Universities. While that in itself is not a
- [Britain Is Open For Business](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-is-open-for-business/) - 1. Despite the government’s substantial range of measures to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament, the UK remains very much open for business. There are numerous categories under which people can come to the UK to work, do business and study, allowing people to invest in and
- [Why The Uk Is Wide Open To International Talent.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-the-uk-is-wide-open-to-international-talent/) - Two news stories in particular have caught our eye this week. Here are a few concrete truths in response to a great deal of hot air and very few facts. On Tuesday the Nobel prize winning British scientist Professor John O’Keefe warned the government that its immigration policies were ‘a very very large obstacle’ to
- [Immigration At The Party Conferences 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-at-the-party-conferences-2014/) - Labour camouflaged their record on immigration and their lack of any commitment, let alone policies to reduce it by focusing on relatively trivial labour market measures. The Liberal Democrats had nothing significant to say. UKIP repeated their intention to adopt a Point Base System – the very policy that led to chaos under Labour. They
- [Opinion Poll Results on Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/opinion-poll-results-on-immigration/) - Public opinion is firmly behind the government’s efforts to reduce net migration. The public recognise the benefits of controlled immigration especially in particular fields but, for many years, have shown strong opposition to mass immigration and have long wished to see net migration reduced to more sensible levels. Below is a summary of public opinion
- [Response to UCL paper on the fiscal effects of immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-ucl-paper-on-the-fiscal-effects-of-immigration-to-the-uk/) - Summary Overall cost of migration 1. Between 1995 and 2011 the fiscal cost of migrants in the UK was at least £115 billion and possibly as much as £160 billion according to a report from the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration headed by Professor Christian Dustmann at University College, London. The report found
- [Response to UCL paper on the fiscal effects of immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-ucl-paper-on-the-fiscal-effects-of-immigration-to-the-uk-2/) - Summary Overall cost of migration 1. Between 1995 and 2011 the fiscal cost of migrants in the UK was at least £115 billion and possibly as much as £160 billion according to a report from the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration headed by Professor Christian Dustmann at University College, London. The report found
- [The Local Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-local-impact-of-immigration/) - Migrationwatch are today publishing the results of two opinion poll questions enquiring about the impact of immigration in a respondent’s local area and about their reaction to it. On the first question about impact 20% replied “a great deal” and 35% “a fair amount”. Those who replied “Not much” were 32% and “none at all”
- [International Students In The Uk – The Facts Of The Case](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-in-the-uk-the-facts-of-the-case/) - 1. There is no limit to the number of genuine international students who can come to the UK to study. An unlimited number can also stay on and work so long as they can find graduate level work paying £20,000 a year. 2. Students are counted in the UK’s net migration statistics, as they are
- [Comment On Cream’s Revised Report ‘the Fiscal Effects Of Immigration To The Uk’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-creams-revised-report-the-fiscal-effects-of-immigration-to-the-uk/) - 1. CReAM have now published a revised version of their paper first put out in November 2013 on the fiscal effects of immigration to the UK. The original CReAM paper was given extensive media coverage and flourished as conclusive proof that immigration was a fiscal benefit to the UK, and that migrants contributed more in
- [Higher Education Is In The Rudest Of Health, So Why Suggest Otherwise?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/higher-education-is-in-the-rudest-of-health-so-why-suggest-otherwise/) - By Sir Andrew Green Chairman of Migration Watch UKConservativehome Blog, 22 November, 2014 The UK is one of the most attractive countries in the world to come to study. But if you listened only to Mark Field, the Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, you might be forgiven for being concerned about the future
- [The Impact Of Immigration On Population Growth](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-immigration-on-population-growth/) - New calculations by Migration Watch UK in a paper published today show that net migration has accounted for about 84% of the UK’s population increase over the past decade. The official publications of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) state that, on average, 57 per cent of UK population increase since 2001 has been
- [Swiss Referenda On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/swiss-referenda-on-immigration/) - Summary 1. Some press reporting has implied that the recent Swiss referendum has reversed an earlier decision to impose restrictions on immigration. This is not so. The referenda 2. In February 2014 the Swiss people voted on a proposition “Against Mass Immigration” which was in favour of their country: Independently managing immigration to Switzerland Limiting numbers by ceilings and
- [Guardian Article Fails To Live Up To Its Own Calls For Honesty In The Immigration Debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/guardian-article-fails-to-live-up-to-its-own-calls-for-honesty-in-the-immigration-debate/) - Perhaps surprisingly, under their ‘sustainable business’ section, the Guardian have an article by an ‘arranger’ of cleaning services. She makes several of the usual straw man arguments including that the alternative to mass immigration is stopping immigration. It isn't – it is about a manageable scale. She also calls for honesty on the facts while selectively quoting
- [The Conservative Record On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-conservative-record-on-immigration/) - A report on the Conservative record on immigration was issued by Migration Watch UK today. The report finds that the Conservatives struggled to bring order into a situation in which the numbers had run out of control and the system was close to chaos. Despite the limitations of a coalition and continuous pressure from the
- [The Conservative Performance on Immigration Since 2010](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-conservative-performance-on-immigration-since-2010/) - 1. Summary 1.1 The net migration target was sensible at the time and proved a valuable focus for policy. There was a significant reduction in non EU migration but this was largely counterbalanced by an increase in EU migration. Policy focussed on tightening conditions for entry. The quality of economic migration was improved but the
- [Response to the APPG Inquiry into Post Study Work Visas](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-appg-inquiry-into-post-study-work-visas/) - 1. In June 2014 the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration launched an inquiry into the impact of the closure of the Tier 1 (Post Study Work) visa in April 2012. Today they have released their findings in a report which calls on the government to introduce a new route that allows students to
- [Immigration Policy and Black and Minority Ethnic Voters](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-policy-and-black-and-minority-ethnic-voters/) - Summary 1. Voters overwhelmingly want to see immigration reduced – a view shared amongst previous migrants and BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) voters as well. Policies to reduce immigration are therefore not likely in themselves to deter BME voters from voting for any party, including the Conservatives, as has been suggested by a new lobby
- [SNP Immigration Policy - A Back Door to England?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/snp-immigration-policy-a-back-door-to-england/) - Summary 1.If the SNP were able to acquire a separate regime for immigration to Scotland following the General Election, the result would be very serious for both Scotland and England. The SNP would, if it had the power, liberalise immigration control across each of the four major migration routes - work, family, student and asylum.
- [Immigration Under Labour](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-under-labour/) - Contents SummaryIntroductionData Collection 1964-2010Levels of Immigration, Emigration and Net MigrationWhy did Net Migration treble in 1998?Why did Net Migration continue to increase during the 2000s?Overarching Government Strategy on Immigration?2010 ElectionEd Miliband on Labour Immigration Policy since 2010A Summary of Current Labour Party PolicyConclusions Summary 1. This study of Labour’s immigration record shows that the initial
- [Comment On Net Migration Figures February 2015](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-net-migration-figures-february-2015/) - Commenting, Lord Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: "These figures will be extremely disappointing for the public. The additional pressure on housing and public services is clearly unmanageable. Those who never wanted to see net migration brought down will now claim that efforts to reduce numbers should be abandoned. On the contrary, this outcome
- [Household Projections For England Ignore The Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/household-projections-for-england-ignore-the-impact-of-immigration/) - Statement from Migration Watch Vice Chairman, Alp Mehmet "The Department of Communities and Local Government has today published its household projections for England out to 2037 in which they state that future increases in households will come overwhelmingly from population growth, with an extra 5.2 million households by 2037; an increase of 4,000 households per week. About 85% of population growth since
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Ukip’s Immigration Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-ukips-immigration-policy/) - Commenting on UKIP’s immigration policy, Mr Alp Mehmet, Vice-Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: “The objective of getting back to a sensible level of immigration is absolutely right but a Points Based System is an ineffective means of achieving this.” See our paper on the Points Based System here: http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-paper/11.33
- [Labour’s Immigration Record](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labours-immigration-record/) - In the aftermath of last week’s very disappointing migration statistics, a survey of immigration policy under Labour was issued by Migration Watch UK today. The outcome of that policy was quite clearly mass immigration. Net foreign migration during the 13 years of Labour government between 1997 and 2010 was 3.6 million. This is four times higher
- [British Future – A New Low In Slanted Opinion Polls](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-future-a-new-low-in-slanted-opinion-polls/) - On 30th March an article appeared in The Independent with the headline “Majority of voters not convinced by Tory promises to lower immigration to below 100,000." (See here). The article claimed that, not only were the public sceptical that the policy can be delivered, but also that they think it would be better to aim for a deliverable
- [International migration, population growth and households in the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-migration-population-growth-and-households-in-the-uk/) - Summary 1. This paper estimates the contribution of international migration to the increase in the number of households[1] in the UK since 1992. It uses data from the Labour Force Surveys to estimate the change over time in the proportion of households headed by persons born outside the United Kingdom. It concludes that 65% of UK
- [The UK Labour Market – EU Workers by Occupation Skill Level](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-uk-labour-market-eu-workers-by-occupation-skill-level/) - Summary 1. There are currently 400,000 EU14 workers in the UK who are more likely to be in a skilled occupation than the UK born – 70% compared to 55%. However, there are more than twice that number from the accession countries known as the EU10 of whom almost three quarters are in low skilled
- [The Impact of Immigration on England’s school places shortage](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-immigration-on-englands-school-places-shortage/) - Summary 1. In parts of England there is intense competition for primary school places with too many pupils competing for too few school places. Current projections show that this situation will only grow worse over the next few years. Although there is currently a national surplus of primary school places, by the academic year 2018/19
- [International Students and Post Study Work - Do employers need them?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/international-students-and-post-study-work-do-employers-need-them/) - Summary 1. In 2011, the last full year in which students could be granted a visa that would allow them to stay on and search for work at any skill level, nearly 50,000 did so. In the first full year (2013) that international students were required to get a graduate level job in order to
- [Economic characteristics of migrants in the UK in 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/economic-characteristics-of-migrants-in-the-uk-in-2014/) - Summary Key labour market outcomes of migrants to the UK show wide variation, particularly in employment status, wages and benefit claims. In these terms migrants from some regions have particularly strong economic characteristics compared to those born in the UK while others have much weaker economic characteristics. Assessments of the current and future impact of
- [Lessons from Calais](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lessons-from-calais/) - Summary 1. It is the responsibility of the French government to maintain order in the Calais district but the reason for the intense pressure on the Channel terminals is that very large numbers of migrants, already in the safety of France, are determined to get into Britain. They believe that they will be able to
- [UK immigration policy outside the EU](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uk-immigration-policy-outside-the-eu/) - Summary 1. This paper outlines a possible immigration system in the event of a British exit from the European Union. Some have claimed that a British exit would not affect net migration, but this assumes that the UK remains in the EEA and accepts free movement of people as one of the principles of the
- [Asylum and the European Union - The Dublin Regulations](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-and-the-european-union-the-dublin-regulations/) - Summary 1. A case in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal has brought to public attention the Dublin Regulation which forms the basis for determining the EU Member State responsible for deciding applications for asylum from third country nationals. The UK has opted in to these regulations which are based, firstly, on the principle of family
- [The impact of in-work benefit restrictions on EU migrants to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-in-work-benefit-restrictions-on-eu-migrants-to-the-uk/) - Summary 1.Following the conclusion of renegotiation talks on February 19th, the Prime Minister announced proposals for an ‘emergency brake’ to limit full access to in-work benefits by newly arrived EU workers for up to four years. Should it be enacted, this ‘brake’ would be in force for seven years. It is put forward as a
- [Labour’s 2015 Election Manifesto](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labours-2015-election-manifesto/) - Labour have today released their manifesto for the 2015 general election. It contains a number of commitments on immigration; twelve in all. Indeed, all of what they have said is to be welcomed; particularly the commitment to increase the number of border guards by a thousand, the pledge to stop companies hiring only from abroad and the
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Conservative Manifesto Launch](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-conservative-manifesto-launch/) - Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: ‘It is important that the Conservatives have retained their intention to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands and set out some clear policies to help achieve that. This is welcome news.'
- [Full Fact On East European Migration Falls Well Short Of The Mark](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/full-fact-on-east-european-migration-falls-well-short-of-the-mark/) - This week Full Fact – a fact-checking organisation now regularly heard on the BBC – attempted to check the following claim put to Ed Miliband by Jeremy Paxman during the leaders’ interviews of 26th March 2015: “You were predicting figures of between 5,000 and 13,000 immigrants a year from the expansion of the EU in 2004
- [Immigration And The Demand For Housing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-the-demand-for-housing/) - Huge impact of immigration on the demand for housing Nearly two thirds of additional households since 1997 headed by an immigrant The impact of immigration on the demand for housing in the UK is much greater than the public realise. That is the thrust of a paper issued by Migration Watch today. Nearly two thirds
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Ons Net Migration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-ons-net-migration-statistics/) - Responding to today’s net migration figures, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: The latest figures are appalling. We need to stop and think where this mass immigration is leading. It points to a probable increase of three million in the UK population over the next five years in the face of
- [Response To The Royal College Of Nursing’s Report ‘international Recruitment 2015 ‘](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-royal-college-of-nursings-report-international-recruitment-2015/) - The Royal College of Nursing (RCN, the nursing union) yesterday published a report ‘International Recruitment 2015’. The report generated a number of provocative headlines such as ‘New immigration rules will cost the NHS millions’ (The Guardian) or ‘New Immigration Rules will cause NHS chaos’ (Sky News). These headlines are misleading for a number of reasons.
- [The Economic Characteristics Of Migrants In The Uk In 2014](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-economic-characteristics-of-migrants-in-the-uk-in-2014/) - Key labour market outcomes of migrants to the UK show wide variation, particularly in employment status, wages and benefit claims. In these terms migrants from some regions have particularly strong economic characteristics compared to those born in the UK while others have much weaker economic characteristics. Assessments of the current and future impact of immigration
- [Response To House Of Commons Library Blog On Our Paper On Economic Characteristics Of Migrants In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-house-of-commons-library-blog-on-our-paper-on-economic-characteristics-of-migrants-in-the-uk/) - Steven Ayres, a researcher at the House of Commons has blogged on our report “Economic characteristics of migrants in the UK in 2014”. His blog starts by noting that its purpose is not to critique “the report itself, but rather to investigate whether the source of the data, the Labour Force Survey (LFS), is capable of
- [Lessons From Calais](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lessons-from-calais-2/) - The most effective way to tackle the crisis in Calais is to tackle the motivation of the migrants who seem so determined to get across the channel. That is the conclusion of a report issued by Migrationwatch today. The report concludes that the main motivation to cross the channel is not to seek asylum (France
- [Asylum Outcomes In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-outcomes-in-the-uk/) - The Home Office produces an annual ‘cohort analysis’ of asylum claims permitting a comprehensive understanding of what eventually happened to the people who claimed asylum in the UK in a particular year. This short blog will outline the outcomes of the 2012 asylum cohort. Data is available for the 2013 cohort however around one third
- [Labour Leadership Candidates On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labour-leadership-candidates-on-immigration/) - On July 25th the final hustings of the 2015 labour leadership election were held in Warrington. During the course of the hustings the candidates were asked ‘where do each of the candidates stand on Britain’s place in the EU and can we solve the immigration issue while remaining in the EU?’ The Candidates went onto give
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Ons Net Migration Statistics August 2015](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-ons-net-migration-statistics-august-2015/) - Responding to today’s net migration figures, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “Net migration at one third of a million a year is clearly unsustainable. Nearly half of the inflow is now from the EU, including 50,000 from Romania and Bulgaria as we have long predicted. This underlines the need for
- [Humanitarian Protection And The Current Asylum Crisis](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/humanitarian-protection-and-the-current-asylum-crisis/) - 1.The following is the definition of humanitarian protection in legal briefing paper 174: HUMANITARIAN PROTECTION If a person’s application for asylum is refused consideration must be given immediately as to whether he qualifies for humanitarian protection under paragraph 339C of the Immigration Rules. If he is to qualify he must show that there are substantial
- [The Populations Of The United Kingdom And Germany](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-populations-of-the-united-kingdom-and-germany/) - The populations forecast for the UK and Germany are entirely different. All population projections have a considerable degree of uncertainty, especially in current circumstances. However, until recent events, the German population that was expected to fall whereas that of the UK seems likely to continue to rise at the most rapid rate for nearly a
- [The Impact Of Immigration On Uk Wage Levels](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-immigration-on-uk-wage-levels/) - Summary 1. Immigration may well have some effect in reducing wages and may also hold them back from rising. Detail 2. A summary of the rather limited academic research base for the impact of migration on wages of the UK-born is contained in Annex A together with links to each of the papers or where
- [Migration Watch Comment On Civitas Pamphlet On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-comment-on-civitas-pamphlet-on-immigration/) - This authoritative report from Professor Rowthorn, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge, concludes that there is no economic argument, or indeed any other argument for mass immigration on the present scale, currently a third of a million per year. Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: “This landmark
- [Astonishing Impact Of Immigration On Demand For Housing, Says Lord Green](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/astonishing-impact-of-immigration-on-demand-for-housing-says-lord-green/) - Current levels of immigration, if they are allowed to continue, mean that we will need to build enough homes to accommodate 350 additional households a day. The Department for Communities and Local Government has today released their variant household projections for England at different assumed levels of net migration. Under their ‘high’ net migration scenario
- [Turkey’s Population And Immigration To The European Union](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/turkeys-population-and-immigration-to-the-european-union/) - As part of the EU’s efforts to tackle the migrant crisis they have turned to Turkey. This has resulted in a joint EU-Turkey action plan[i] on migration along with wider incentives to “re-energise” Turkey’s application for the EU and an offer of visa-free travel for Turkish citizens to the Schengen zone from October 2016. The EU
- [The Wages Of Millions Of British Workers Affected By Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-wages-of-millions-of-british-workers-affected-by-immigration/) - Commenting on the latest Bank of England research on the impact of immigration on wages, Lord Green of Deddington said: “For many years the immigration lobby have claimed that there is no evidence that immigration has any significant effect on the wages of British workers. This new research by the Bank of England blows their claims
- [Bank Of England Report Finds Migration Negatively Impacts The Wages Of Lowest-paid Workers In Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bank-of-england-report-finds-migration-negatively-impacts-the-wages-of-lowest-paid-workers-in-britain/) - A recent study by the Bank of England has found that increasing migration has driven down wages especially in sectors already experiencing low pay, such as catering, hotels and social care. This follows Bank of England Governor Mark Carney’s warning in May that the current inflow of foreign workers was holding down wages. There has
- [Charities’ Call For The Uk To Settle A ‘fair And Proportionate’ Share Of Refugees](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/charities-call-for-the-uk-to-settle-a-fair-and-proportionate-share-of-refugees/) - Twenty seven Chief Executives of Refugee organisations and human rights advocacy groups wroteto the Prime Minister on 4 January calling for the UK to increase substantially the number of refugees that it accepts The groups called on the government to agree to resettle a ‘fair and proportionate number of those already within the European Union and those
- [Will Refugees Benefit The German Economy?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-refugees-benefit-the-german-economy/) - The news that ‘several’ of the 33 economists polled by the Financial Times(27 December) feel that recent mass migration to Germany could help its economy by boosting its ageing and declining workforce needs critical scrutiny. (We are not told how many is ‘several’, who they are, how they were chosen or what the others think). And
- [British Exit From The Eu Could Reduce Net Migration By 100,000](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-exit-from-the-eu-could-reduce-net-migration-by-100000/) - Migration Watch UK has issued a report examining for the first time what a post “Brexit” immigration regime might look like and estimating its likely effect on net migration to the UK. The report does not advocate either exit from or remaining in the EU. Any post exit regime would involve, possibly lengthy, negotiations. It is
- [In The Event Of Leaving The Eu, What Would A Revised Immigration Policy Look Like – Comment On Our Paper.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/in-the-event-of-leaving-the-eu-what-would-a-revised-immigration-policy-look-like-comment-on-our-paper/) - As Prime Minister David Cameron prepares to meet senior European Union officials to press forward with renegotiations over Britain’s membership of the supranational body, there has been much speculation over the impact a possible Brexit could have on the UK’s record net migration figures. A Migration Watch UK briefing paperpublished on 27th January has suggested a possible
- [In-work Benefit Restrictions And Eu Migrants To The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/in-work-benefit-restrictions-and-eu-migrants-to-the-uk/) - Most family units headed by recent EU migrants do not have any dependent children whether they are single or in couples, according to a report issued by Migration Watch UK. This means that even in low-paying jobs they are not entitled to large amounts of benefits, and thus an ’emergency brake’ on in-work benefits is
- [The Future Of Juxtaposed Controls In Calais](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-future-of-juxtaposed-controls-in-calais/) - Summary It is by no means certain that the French would withdraw their agreement to juxtaposed controls in Calais. Even if they were to do so, refugee camps in Southern England would be extremely unlikely. There is no prospect of camps being set up in the UK in order for migrants to make the return
- [Asylum And The Eu – The Dublin Regulation](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-and-the-eu-the-dublin-regulation/) - A case in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal has brought to public attention the Dublin Regulation which forms the basis for determining the EU Member State responsible for deciding applications for asylum from third country nationals. The UK has opted in to these regulations which are based, firstly, on the principle of family reunion in
- [Ons Labour Market Figures Show Employment Of Eu-born Workers Grew By Over 200,000 During 2015](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ons-labour-market-figures-show-employment-of-eu-born-workers-grew-by-over-200000-during-2015/) - As Prime Minister David Cameron works to secure renegotiation of the terms of Britain’s EU membership, new labour market figuresfrom the Office for National Statistics have thrown light on recent shifts in the UK workforce. The most relevant statistic from the perspective of Mr Cameron’s talks in Brussels will be news that the number of workers
- [Migration Watch Uk Comment On The Government Paper ‘the Process For Withdrawing From The European Union’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-the-government-paper-the-process-for-withdrawing-from-the-european-union/) - British citizens in the EU The government paper ‘The Process for Withdrawing from the European Union’, published on 29th February, argues (pp. 17 & 22) that approximately two million UK citizens who live and work in the EU should not assume that rights acquired under free movement rules ‘would be guaranteed’ if the UK were
- [The Implications Of ‘brexit’ For Border Controls In Calais](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-implications-of-brexit-for-border-controls-in-calais/) - The French government have an option to withdraw from the Treaty at two years notice and might do so under political pressure from the National Front whether or not the UK remains in the EU. On the other hand, they have a clear interest in an unimpeded flow of goods and tourists. They might also
- [Legal Aspects Of The Proposed Eu-turkey Deal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/legal-aspects-of-the-proposed-eu-turkey-deal/) - Tomorrow, European leaders will meet at an EU Summit where many hope to agree a deal with the Turkish government that seeks to reduce the flow of migrants crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. The draft plan will see all illegal migrants landing in Greece sent back to Turkey within 48 hours in
- [The Outlook for Migration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-outlook-for-migration-to-the-uk/) - Summary 1. This paper looks ahead for the next twenty years in the event that the UK votes to remain within the EU. It assesses that net migration would be likely to remain very high or indeed rise further still, with serious consequences for our population and quality of life. 2. The paper focuses on
- [The British in Europe – and Vice Versa](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-british-in-europe-and-vice-versa/) - Summary 1. There are around 1.2 million British born people living in another EU country, according to figures provided by the UN. Around 800,000 will be workers and their dependants. This is much less than the estimated 3.3 million people born in another EU country who now live in the UK, of which 2.1 million
- [Summary Fact Sheet](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/summary-fact-sheet/) - Projected Population Growth Population Density Births to foreign parents Foreign born Immigration Jobs Housing Education Public Opinion 1. Projected Population Growth Projected Population Growth by Country Source: ONS, 2014-based National Population Projections, ‘high’ net migration variant National Population Projections (29/10/2015) The ‘high’ net migration variant projection has a long term assumption that net migration will
- [An Overview of recent EU migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-overview-of-recent-eu-migration/) - Net Migration 1. Migration from the European Union soared following the addition of eight Eastern European countries in 2004. The net flow reduced following the financial crisis but then more than doubled between 2012 and 2014 to return again to record levels as freedom of movement was extended to new EU entrants Romania and Bulgaria.
- [The Migrant Crisis in the EU](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-migrant-crisis-in-the-eu/) - Executive Summary 1. The EU border agency, Frontex, recorded 1.8 million illegal border crossings in 2015. Meanwhile, the EU Commission estimate that around three million irregular migrants will enter the EU between now and 2017. Currently asylum systems in Greece and Italy cannot possibly cope with such numbers and it seems very unlikely that the
- [Economic Impacts of Immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/economic-impacts-of-immigration-to-the-uk/) - Summary The impact of immigration into the UK on GDP per head – a key measure of prosperity - is essentially negligible. There is tentative evidence to show that immigration of non-EU workers into the UK has a negative effect on the employment of UK-born workers, and there is substantial anecdotal evidence that workers in some sectors of
- [National Insurance Numbers and Immigration figures for Eastern Europeans](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/national-insurance-numbers-and-immigration-figures-for-eastern-europeans/) - Summary 1. Official figures for Eastern European net migration could have been underestimated by more than 50,000 a year in each of the last five years. If so, this would mean that net migration from the EU is actually running at about 220,000 year and that the EU is now the largest source of foreign
- [The Fiscal Effects of Immigration to the UK 2014/15](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-fiscal-effects-of-immigration-to-the-uk-2014-15/) - Abstract This paper extends the original research by Christian Dustmann and Tommaso Frattini (Dustmann and Frattini 2014) on the fiscal impact of immigration to the UK in individual years from 1995 to 2011 by applying the same methodological principles to the most recent year for which equivalent data is available - fiscal 2014/15. The broad
- [Migration Watch UK press comment on ONS net migration figures](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-ons-net-migration-figures/) - Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: These figures are a serious disappointment. At a third of a million, they show that no progress is being made in reducing immigration. Virtually half of it now comes from the EU and there is no reason to think that this will fall. Our
- [The Refugee and Migrant Crisis in the EU – The Potential Implications for the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-refugee-and-migrant-crisis-in-the-eu-the-potential-implications-for-the-uk/) - Summary 1. In 2015 and the first quarter of 2016 1.67 million asylum applications were received in EU member states. Just under 792,000 of these applications have been decided and 435,000 have been granted some form of protection at initial decision and an additional 26,000 on appeal. Assuming that outstanding applications are granted protection at
- [The impact of potential Turkish accession to the European Union on migration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-impact-of-potential-turkish-accession-to-the-european-union-on-migration-to-the-uk/) - Summary 1. The offer of concessions by the European Union to Turkey as part of a deal agreed in March 2016 to stem the flow of illegal crossings into Greece includes a promise to re-invigorate negotiations for Turkish membership of the EU. The UK government reportedly predicted in 2014 that Turkey could be ready for
- [Net migration and Scotland’s population in the run-up to the EU referendum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/net-migration-and-scotlands-population-in-the-run-up-to-the-eu-referendum/) - Summary 1. It is sometimes suggested that the rate of overseas migration to Scotland should be increased in order to grow and rejuvenate its population. In fact, Scotland’s population has remained above five million for fifty years, and it is projected by National Records of Scotland (NRS) to grow by 7%, or 340,000, by 2039.
- [Eu-turkey Agreement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-turkey-agreement/) - The EU and Turkey have agreed a deal with the primary goal of ending irregular migration between Turkey and EU, via Greece. The deal agrees the following: As of 20th March 2016, all irregular migrants arriving on the Greek Islands from Turkey will be returned from whence they came. For every Syrian returned to Turkey, one
- [The Immigration Aspects Of The Eu-canada Economic And Trade Agreement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-immigration-aspects-of-the-eu-canada-economic-and-trade-agreement/) - Summary 1. An agreement with the EU on the lines of the EU Canada Treaty would not increase permanent immigration to the UK. The agreement with Canada explicitly states that it does not cover job-seekers, employment on a permanent basis, residence or measures regarding citizenship[i]. It makes provision for the temporary transfer of specialists. Detail
- [Dispelling Misperceptions About Our Proposal For A Possible Post-exit Immigration Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/dispelling-misperceptions-about-our-proposal-for-a-possible-post-exit-immigration-policy/) - Jeremy Warner is right to suggest that current record levels of net migration are a crucial part of the national debate as the EU referendum approaches (‘Immigration is what will decide the outcome of the referendum, as it will in Holland too’, Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2016, see article). He expresses uncertainty as to whether a possible vote
- [Productivity And Migration – A Brief Overview](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/productivity-and-migration-a-brief-overview/) - There is no doubt that productivity growth – by all conventional measures – took a considerable hit in the recession from which it has not recovered. The failure of productivity growth to return to previous levels stands in stark contrast to previous recessions. Despite a variety of factors being suggested as explaining parts of the shortfall, the
- [Labour And Conservative-led Government Support For Turkey’s Application To Join The European Union](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labour-and-conservative-led-government-support-for-turkeys-application-to-join-the-european-union/) - Will Straw from the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign told the BBC Today Programmeon 13th April that the UK has a veto over Turkish accession to the EU. However, the quotes below detail the long record of support for Turkish membership of the EU by both Labour and Conservative-led governments. Prime Minister Tony Blair, December 2002: “I believe we
- [Visa Free Access To The Eu For Turkish Citizens](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-free-access-to-the-eu-for-turkish-citizens/) - Summary 1. The requirements for ending the need for a visa to enter the borderless Schengen zone are both complex and important. Turkey has been offered visa free travel for its citizens in exchange for vital assistance over the refugee crisis but there is a serious risk that some important corners will be cut. Background
- [The Eu Turkey Deal – Could A Similar Deal Be Struck With North African Countries?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-eu-turkey-deal-could-a-similar-deal-be-struck-with-north-african-countries/) - The EU Turkey Agreement In November 2015 the EU and Turkey held a bilateral summit to discuss the migrant crisis affecting the region. Vast numbers of people were making their way from the Middle East, Asia and and Africa to Turkey with the intention of making the onward journey across the Aegean Sea into the
- [The Prospects For Eu Enlargement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-prospects-for-eu-enlargement/) - Summary 1. The European Union (EU) has grown from six original member states to its current size of 28. The biggest enlargement occurred in 2004 when eight East European countries plus Cyprus and Malta joined. There are currently seven countries at various stages in the accession process, although two are yet to be granted candidate
- [Response To Comments On Our Report On The Fiscal Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-comments-on-our-report-on-the-fiscal-impact-of-immigration/) - Has Migration Watch UK “distorted UCL research”? Not at all. This can only be based on a misunderstanding or misreading of our paper. UCL/CReAM calculated a scenario in which business taxes were shared out as an equal cost among everyone in the UK including even the most recent arrivals, and a scenario in which they
- [70% Of Albanians Who Applied For Asylum Between 2008-2014 Are Still In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/70-of-albanians-who-applied-for-asylum-between-2008-2014-are-still-in-the-uk/) - Various newspapers have today carried reports that two men have been charged with people smuggling after a boat carrying 18 Albanian nationals was rescued off the Kent coast. For context, below is data from the Home Office on the outcome of asylum applications lodged by Albanian nationals. In the past, Home Office data shows that
- [To Cope With Current Levels Of Immigration, The Uk Will Need To Build New Home Every Four Minutes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/to-cope-with-current-levels-of-immigration-the-uk-will-need-to-build-new-home-every-four-minutes/) - During last night’s ITV debate Nigel Farage claimed that we would have to build a home every four minutes, night and day in order to house new migrants and their families. On the ITV Ten O’Clock News that followed, Allegra Stratton, the Political Editor challenged Mr Farage’s figures, and said that the correct figure was
- [Ecj Ruling On Payment Of Child Benefits To Eu Citizens With No Right To Reside In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ecj-ruling-on-payment-of-child-benefits-to-eu-citizens-with-no-right-to-reside-in-the-uk/) - The European Court of Justice (ECJ) today (see June 14th 2016 BBC News article here) confirmed that the UK does not have to pay child benefit and child tax credits to citizens of other EU countries if they are not working and as a result have no right to reside in the UK. The Court’s judgement is here.
- [Are Migrants An Economic Benefit To The Uk?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/are-migrants-an-economic-benefit-to-the-uk/) - 1. Overall, migrants in the UK have been, and continue to be, a net fiscal cost to the UK Exchequer. Only recent migrants from the EU14 have made a net positive fiscal contribution. Immigration has not been shown to have any significant impact, either positive or negative, on GDP per capita, a key measure of
- [The Vanishing Students From Outside The Eu](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-vanishing-students-from-outside-the-eu/) - 1. Much attention has been paid to the apparent failure of the government to reduce non-EU migration. However, it would seem that this is very largely due to the significant number of students who have remained in the UK, legally or otherwise. 2. Non-EU net migration has averaged 172,000 in the last ten years, as
- [Uk Population Rises By More Than 500,000 In A Year To Reach 65.1 Million](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uk-population-rises-by-more-than-500000-in-a-year-to-reach-65-1-million/) - The ONS has today released the Annual Population Estimates for mid-2015. The UK population is now 65.1 million, an increase of 513,000 on the previous year. See the full ONS data here. The increase in the population was down to two factors, natural change (births minus deaths) and net migration. Of the half a million growth
- [Social Market Foundation Report Based On Highly Questionable Assumptions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/social-market-foundation-report-based-on-highly-questionable-assumptions/) - A new reportfrom the Social Market Foundation suggests that an economic slowdown following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union will lead to a slowing of migration – perhaps to the tens of thousands – without requiring the imposition of any actual controls on migration. Any such conclusion is thoroughly unsound, relying on a number
- [An ‘Emergency Brake’ on EU Migration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-emergency-brake-on-eu-migration/) - Summary 1. There is no viable and timely trigger for an emergency brake on EU migration. To be consistent with the outcome of the referendum, a decision to apply such a brake would have to be at the British government’s discretion, an outcome that is unlikely to be negotiable. Furthermore, control would be illusory since
- [A tailored immigration system for EEA citizens after Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-tailored-immigration-system-for-eea-citizens-after-brexit/) - Summary 1. It is clear from the referendum result that the British public wants net migration to be reduced substantially. The best way to do this, following Brexit, would be through a widening of our present work permit system to include European Economic Area (EEA) workers offered highly skilled jobs.[1] There should be continued free movement
- [Should the UK apply substantially different immigration rules to different parts of the UK post-Brexit?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/should-the-uk-apply-substantially-different-immigration-rules-to-different-parts-of-the-uk-post-brexit/) - Summary 1. The application of substantially different immigration rules in the UK’s various devolved authorities and cities after the UK leaves the European Union would be unjustified and impracticable. Such a system would also be extremely complex, distort competition and introduce local anomalies. Fundamentally, it would seriously undermine the government’s efforts to reduce net migration
- [Scotland’s need for skilled migrant workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/scotlands-need-for-skilled-migrant-workers/) - Summary 1. The Scottish Government has claimed that Scotland needs continued free movement of people for EU citizens when the UK leaves the European Union, to deal with a ‘skills gap’.[1] But new analysis of the Labour Force Survey suggests that the proportion of Scotland’s total highly-skilled workforce comprised of EU migrants is roughly similar to
- [Immigration and UK membership of the European Single Market](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-uk-membership-of-the-european-single-market/) - Summary 1. If the UK were to remain a member of the Single Market following Britain’s exit from the European Union, net migration from the EU would be unlikely to fall below 155,000 in the medium term. A substantial wage disparity between the UK and Eastern Europe will continue, despite the recent devaluation of sterling.
- [Update On The Fiscal Impact Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/update-on-the-fiscal-impact-of-immigration/) - 1. Professors Dustmann and Frattini from the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration at University College, London have commented (see here) on our paper on the Fiscal Impact of Immigration to the UK published earlier this year (see here). 2. This blog picks up on their key points 3. They note: MW [Migration Watch]
- [Sensible Controls On Eu Free Movement Could Well Be A Fiscal Benefit For The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sensible-controls-on-eu-free-movement-could-well-be-a-fiscal-benefit-for-the-uk/) - Migration Watch UK response to Treasury Select Committee Chairman Rt. Hon. Andrew Tyrie MP writing for Open Europe The Rt Hon. Andrew Tyrie MP writes for Open Europe (see full report here) that the Government needs to state clearly that stronger controls on free movement “may also carry an economic and fiscal cost for the UK, controversial
- [Impact On Scotland’s Economy Of Reducing Migration Into Lower-skilled Work](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/impact-on-scotlands-economy-of-reducing-migration-into-lower-skilled-work/) - The Scottish Government’s recent paper(read here) on the implications of Brexit for Scotland’s economic performance suggests restrictions on European migration could increase skills shortages with adverse implications for the economy. The paper provides neither references nor any evidence to support this assertion. In fact, the impact of immigration on the Scottish economy is far less than on the
- [Brexit Should Be Seen As A Chance To Improve Productivity And Raise Wages For Agricultural Workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/brexit-should-be-seen-as-a-chance-to-improve-productivity-and-raise-wages-for-agricultural-workers/) - That is the finding of a briefing paper (read the full paper here) being released today by Migration Watch UK. The agricultural lobby is calling for the reinstatement of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) in the light of new proposals for work permits confined to skilled European Union workers to be instituted post-Brexit. In 2013,
- [There Are Lessons To Be Learned From The Uk’s Unsuccessful ‘renegotiation’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/there-are-lessons-to-be-learned-from-the-uks-unsuccessful-renegotiation/) - Daniel Korski, the former Deputy Director of David Cameron’s Policy Unit in Number 10, has published a comprehensive account of why he believes the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU was won by those advocating our departure. See here. One particular section has garnered considerable media attention and is worthy of a few comments. In
- [Brexit Negotiation: Publication Of Uk Objectives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/brexit-negotiation-publication-of-uk-objectives/) - Summary 1. There is a perfectly feasible way forward on immigration which meets the main concerns of all participants, except for some relating to new arrivals of low paid migrant workers. Early publication of the UK’s objectives (but not the strategy) would help calm concerns without weakening our hand. Introduction 2. In advance of the
- [Lord Green Writes In Conservative Home: Brexit And Immigration – Time For Some Clarity On Aims](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lord-green-writes-in-conservative-home-brexit-and-immigration-time-for-some-clarity-on-aims/) - Lord Green is Chairman of MigrationWatch UK. November 30, 2016 It is now abundantly clear that some opponents of Brexit are seeking to use parliamentary procedures to delay and obstruct the forthcoming negotiations in the hope that they can engineer another referendum with a different result. Indeed, the Liberal Democrat leader has virtually said as much.
- [Migration Watch Press Comment On Net Migration Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-press-comment-on-net-migration-statistics/) - Commenting, Mr Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said:“These disappointing figures underline the need to take a strong position on immigration in the Brexit negotiations. Even if net migration was brought down to 265,000 a year the UK population would still be growing at half a million a year, every year for the
- [National Institute For Economic And Social Research Fails To Convince With Assertion That Reducing Migration Would Lead To Slower Growth](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/national-institute-for-economic-and-social-research-fails-to-convince-with-assertion-that-reducing-migration-would-lead-to-slower-growth/) - A new paperpublished by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claims that reducing migration to the UK would result in slower growth for the UK economy with a key driver being the impact lower migration would have on productivity. However, given that prospective post-Brexit restrictions on migration would likely restrict the 80% of
- [Scotland’s Need For Skilled Migrant Workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/scotlands-need-for-skilled-migrant-workers-2/) - Summary: 1. The Scottish Government has claimed that Scotland needs continued free movement of people for EU citizens when the UK leaves the European Union, to deal with a ‘skills gap’.[1] But new analysis of the Labour Force Survey suggests that the proportion of Scotland’s total highly-skilled workforce comprised of EU migrants is roughly similar to
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Release: Divergent Immigration Rules Different Parts Of The Uk Would Be A Recipe For Chaos](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-release-divergent-immigration-rules-different-parts-of-the-uk-would-be-a-recipe-for-chaos/) - Implementing different immigration policies for separate parts of the UK would be a recipe for chaos and would risk infuriating the public by undermining efforts to reduce migration. That is the conclusion of a briefing paper being published by Migration Watch UK. The paper also finds that regional immigration schemes would be extremely complex and may distort
- [Prospects For Scotland’s Population Not Much Affected By Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prospects-for-scotlands-population-not-much-affected-by-brexit/) - Scottish Government admits that Scotland’s population would continue to grow even if EU migration were reduced to half its current level The Scottish Government has admitted that Scotland’s population would grow by 5% (or around 270,000) between 2014 and 2039 even if EU net migration were reduced to half its present level (currently 8,000-9,000 each
- [Immigration And Uk Membership Of The European Single Market](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-uk-membership-of-the-european-single-market-2/) - Mass immigration for the foreseeable future will be inevitable if Britain remains a member of the Single Market. That is the conclusion of a paper released today by Migration Watch UK. The paper examines the consequences of the UK remaining a full member of the Single Market which would require continued acceptance of the free movement of
- [Annual Cap Of 20,700 On Work Permits Has Never Been Reached](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/annual-cap-of-20700-on-work-permits-has-never-been-reached/) - Business lobby have been crying “wolf” Despite frequent complaints from businesses the annual cap on Tier 2 work permits has had virtually no impact on their ability to recruit the brightest and best from around the world. That is the conclusion of a report being issued by Migration Watch UK, which finds that the annual cap of 20,700
- [Migration Watch Uk Response To Tuc Touchstone Blog](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-response-to-tuc-touchstone-blog/) - Following the publication of a Migration Watch UK paper detailing the implications of Single Market membership for levels of net migration from the EU, a blog post was published on the TUC run Touchstone blog (see here). The main thrust of our paper (which you can read here) was that Single Market membership, which would require the
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment – Businesses Not Facing An Immigration ‘cliff Edge’ Post Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-businesses-not-facing-an-immigration-cliff-edge-post-brexit/) - A sharp drop after Brexit in the number of Eastern European workers who are already here is unlikely and does not justify business demands for continued large inflows of low skilled workers. That is the conclusion of a paper released by Migration Watch UK today. The evidence suggests that there is little need for continued immigration from
- [Daniel Hannan Is Wrong To Focus On The Benefits System – Only Visas For Eu Workers Will Control Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/daniel-hannan-is-wrong-to-focus-on-the-benefits-system-only-visas-for-eu-workers-will-control-migration/) - Daniel Hannan, the Conservative MEP for South East England, writingin yesterday’s Sun has picked up on a storypublished in last weekend’s Sunday Times entitled ‘Benefits for Migrants Face Axe’ (£) which details plans reportedly being drawn up by Ministers to restrict in-work benefits for future EU migrants to the UK. Mr Hannan praised the plans and claims that denying in-work benefits
- [The Rights of EU Nationals in the UK Post-Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-rights-of-eu-nationals-in-the-uk-post-brexit/) - Summary 1. Calls to offer a unilateral guarantee to EU nationals and indeed the House of Lords amendment to the Article 50 Bill only scratch the surface of the issues involved. They also ignore the fact that approximately 85% of the 3.6 million EU citizens now in the UK will have been in the UK
- [Arrangements for skilled Britons seeking to work in the European Union after Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/arrangements-for-skilled-britons-seeking-to-work-in-the-european-union-after-brexit/) - Summary 1. It is likely that, following Brexit, British citizens who wish to take a job in a European Union member state will be required to obtain a work permit in order to do so. Although the EU’s “Blue Card” scheme is currently far from complete (87% of such cards are issued by Germany alone),
- [EU Immigration, Post-Brexit – A Comprehensive Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-immigration-post-brexit-a-comprehensive-policy/) - Summary 1. A major benefit of Brexit will be our ability to control migration from the EU, now running at about 160,000 a year (net). The focus should be on preserving access for the highly skilled by means of work permits similar to those now issued to highly skilled non-EU migrants.[1] 2. For some occupations
- [Migration Watch UK press comment on today's ONS net migration figures](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-todays-ons-net-migration-figures/) - Commenting on the release of the ONS Net Migration Statistics, Mr Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: This reduction in net migration is welcome but it is still running at a quarter of a million a year – a level that would have once have been dismissed as incredible. This means, broadly,
- [Brexit: Preserving the Rights of EU Citizens in the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/brexit-preserving-the-rights-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk/) - Summary 1. There is a clear political will to protect the position of EU citizens in the UK and vice versa but the issues are not as simple as is often suggested. The position of the EU is that the European Court of Justice should have jurisdiction over citizens’ rights, that rights be conferred on
- [The UK Government’s Proposal on EU Citizens’ Rights – An Overview](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-uk-governments-proposal-on-eu-citizens-rights-an-overview/) - 1. The UK government has now published a detailed proposal on the future rights of EU citizens living in the UK before the UK leaves the EU.[1] The main elements are summarised below. The UK is of course negotiating with the European Union, which has taken a different view of those who should be covered by
- [A temporary Norway-style Brexit risks permanent loss of control of our borders](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-temporary-norway-style-brexit-risks-permanent-loss-of-control-of-our-borders/) - By Lord Green of DeddingtonChairman of Migration Watch UKBrexit Central, 14 July, 2017 Labour MP Stephen Kinnock made news in the last few days with his claim that he was in conversation with around 15 Conservative MPs about a transitional arrangement which he believes should involve EEA membership. Enough support, of course, potentially to threaten a
- ['Soft' Brexit would mean continued massive levels of immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/soft-brexit-would-mean-continued-massive-levels-of-immigration/) - A ‘soft’ Brexit means in practice that the UK would remain in the Single Market; and net immigration from the EU would stay at well over 100,000 a year for at least a decade. This would mean our having to build the equivalent of a city the size of Birmingham every two years. That is
- [‘What does a “soft” Brexit mean for immigration from the EU?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-does-a-soft-brexit-mean-for-immigration-from-the-eu/) - Summary 1. A ‘Soft Brexit’ entails the UK remaining in the Single Market when the UK leaves the EU. While this claims to ‘prioritise jobs and the economy over immigration’ it would require the UK to continue to accept the free movement of people. We estimate that under such circumstances EU net migration could well
- [Claim That Reducing Low-skilled Migration Would Harm Economy Not Backed Up By The Facts](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/claim-that-reducing-low-skilled-migration-would-harm-economy-not-backed-up-by-the-facts/) - A recent Economist article (‘Keep Out: Lower immigration could be the biggest economic cost of Brexit’, 25th February 2017) makes a number of bogus claims about both the impact of immigration and the public’s response to it that deserve to be soundly rebutted. The article starts by suggesting that net migration into the UK is ‘hardly out of control,
- [There Are No Excuses Now For A Failure To Reduce Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/there-are-no-excuses-now-for-a-failure-to-reduce-migration/) - The triggering of Article 50 last week was a major step towards honouring the referendum result. It will undoubtedly please the 69% of the public who say they want Brexit to go ahead (YouGov poll, March 2017) Yet the mass-migration lobby continues to make unconvincing assertions about the risk of economic damage if free movement is
- [Migration Watch Uk Proposals For An Immigration Policy After Brexit – What We Actually Said](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-proposals-for-an-immigration-policy-after-brexit-what-we-actually-said/) - In a blog for UK in a Changing EU, Professor Jonathan Portes draws attention to a new report from the Office of National Statistics about migrant workers in the UK labour market. While the report contains much interesting information, Professor Portes uses it to make assertions about Migration Watch proposals for immigration in the future
- [Eu Immigration, Post-brexit – A Comprehensive Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-immigration-post-brexit-a-comprehensive-policy-2/) - Summary 1. A major benefit of Brexit will be our ability to control migration from the EU, now running at about 160,000 a year (net). The focus should be on preserving access for the highly skilled by means of work permits similar to those now issued to highly skilled non-EU migrants.[1] 2. For some occupations
- [Press Release – New Temporary Visa For European Workers To Plug Short-term Skills Gaps](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/press-release-new-temporary-visa-for-european-workers-to-plug-short-term-skills-gaps/) - Migration Watch UK have today issued a paper (EU Immigration, Post-Brexit – A Comprehensive Policy) on the prospect for temporary visas for EU migrants to work in jobs at lower skill levels than presently required for admission of non-EU nationals, such as bricklaying, plumbing and construction among others, for a maximum of three years after
- [Would Government Policy To Reduce Net Migration Cost The Taxpayer £6bn A Year?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/would-government-policy-to-reduce-net-migration-cost-the-taxpayer-6bn-a-year/) - Claims that reaching the immigration target will bring a heavy cost to the Exchequer are simply wrong. They are based on unrealistic assumptions that do not reflect the actual policies envisaged. That is the conclusion of a paper issued by Migration Watch UK today. See here: https://migrationwatchuk.org/press-release/492 The claims are based on long term forecasts by
- [Migration Watch Uk Press Comment On Today’s Net Migration Figures](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-todays-net-migration-figures/) - Commenting on the release of the ONS Net Migration Statistics, Mr Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This reduction in net migration is welcome but it is still running at a quarter of a million a year – a level that would have once have been dismissed as incredible. “This means, broadly,
- [No Evidence That Cutting Net Migration Would Be ‘catastrophic’ For British Economy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-evidence-that-cutting-net-migration-would-be-catastrophic-for-british-economy/) - The organisation Global Future argues in a recent report(published on 19th March) that cutting net migration would be ‘catastrophic’ for the British economy. It claims that continued high rates of net migration help keep unemployment low, tackle the UK’s chronically low productivity growth and are essential in helping to address the consequences of an ageing population. None
- [Drop The Target Has Dropped The Ball](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/drop-the-target-has-dropped-the-ball/) - A paper just issued by the Migration Matters Trust claims: “Shocking new figures reveal that cutting net migration to less than 100,000 per year could hammer British jobs.” The ‘research’ content comprises two graphs of net migration plotted against the UK unemployment and UK employment rates respectively. These show that over the past ten years,
- [Migration Watch Press Comment On Population Estimates For Mid-2016](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-press-comment-on-population-estimates-for-mid-2016/) - Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This record rise in our population is very largely the result of massive levels of immigration which accounted for nearly two-thirds of the increase. We are now at a turning point. The Brexit negotiations must achieve a substantial reduction in EU migration. Failing that we will have
- [The Uk Government’s Proposal On Eu Citizens’ Rights – An Overview](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-uk-governments-proposal-on-eu-citizens-rights-an-overview-2/) - The UK government has now published a detailed proposal on the future rights of EU citizens living in the UK before the UK leaves the EU. The main elements are summarised in the link below. The UK is of course negotiating with the European Union, which has taken a different view of those who should
- [An Emergency Brake Is A Dangerous Mirage](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-emergency-brake-is-a-dangerous-mirage/) - In an article for the Financial Times, former leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg argues that the UK should seek a Norway-style ‘emergency brake’ on EU migration post-Brexit. He adds that if the UK implemented this measure as part of the European Economic Area (EEA) whilst remaining in the Single Market, it would be sufficient
- [The outlook for EU migration if the UK remains subject to the free movement of people](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-outlook-for-eu-migration-if-the-uk-remains-subject-to-the-free-movement-of-people/) - Summary 1. Should the UK remain subject to free movement rules after Brexit as a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), we can expect net EU migration to continue at about 125,000 a year into the medium term. The mitigating effect of uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the risk of further devaluation of sterling and the
- [The distinction between asylum seekers and refugees](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-distinction-between-asylum-seekers-and-refugees/) - Revised version August 2017 This paper was originally published in January 2006. In view of the considerable interest which is shown by the frequency of its consultation, it has now been revised and brought up to date. Material relating to migrant flows in 2016 on page 2 has been added by Dr Benedict Greening, Migration
- [The Law on Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-law-on-immigration/) - 1. Immigration law governing the entry and right to remain in the United Kingdom of nationals of countries which are not Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA) is to be found in the following Acts of Parliament and subordinate legislation made under them: Immigration Act 1971Immigration Act 1988Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993Special
- [Brexit Negotiations: Objections To The Government’s Offer On European Citizens’ Rights – And Replies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/brexit-negotiations-objections-to-the-governments-offer-on-european-citizens-rights-and-replies/) - Summary: As well as summarising three key areas of disagreement over the rights of EU nationals in the UK and vice versa that have arisen during the first two rounds of Brexit negotiations in June and July, this paper highlights eight other objections that have been made to the UK’s offer (published on 26th June), along
- [Come Off It, Professor](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/come-off-it-professor/) - Jonathan Portes has falsely accused Migration Watch UK of lying. Professor Portes is wrong and his accusation is false. This is a familiar tactic of his when he disagrees with or disapproves of any argument. As historian Niall Ferguson wrote in a powerful Spectator articlein 2015, he seeks, ‘to undermine an irrefutable argument by claiming loudly and
- [Tony Blair’s Suggested Controls On Migration From The European Union Are Nothing Of The Sort](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tony-blairs-suggested-controls-on-migration-from-the-european-union-are-nothing-of-the-sort/) - The government is reportedly considering post-Brexit immigration proposals that would end free movement rules immediately upon the UK’s departure from the EU while gradually bringing in measures to reduce the number of lower-skilled European migrants. However, in an article published on 9th September, Mr Blair argues that ending the free movement of people in order to
- [Do We Really Need Yet More Eu Workers?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/do-we-really-need-yet-more-eu-workers/) - This week our Chairman Lord Green of Deddington wrote an article for Conservative Home arguing that claims made by businesses that they need continued net inflows of migrants from the EU must be scrutinised by government. The full article is below. Do we really need yet more EU workers? By Lord Green of Deddington As
- [Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Proposals For Increased Immigration Are Misguided And Out-of-touch](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mayor-sadiq-khans-proposals-for-increased-immigration-are-misguided-and-out-of-touch/) - Speaking to the Confederation of British Industry, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said the free movement of people should continue after Brexit. He has also proposed that the UK’s non-EU immigration rules be loosened – for instance through a lengthening of current post-study work arrangements for international students. In the Mayor’s words: “It’s time
- [Student Immigration Reforms Appear To Have Led To More Indian Undergraduates At Top Universities](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/student-immigration-reforms-appear-to-have-led-to-more-indian-undergraduates-at-top-universities/) - It is often noted by the academic lobby that there has been a fall since 2010 in the number of prospective Indian students applying for a visa to study at a UK university. For example, Conservative peer Lord Bilimoria wrote in the Daily Telegraph in August 2017: “The number of Indian students studying in the UK is currently
- [Summary Of Migration Watch Evidence To The Migration Advisory Committee – Costs And Benefits Of Immigration From The European Economic Area](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/summary-of-migration-watch-evidence-to-the-migration-advisory-committee-costs-and-benefits-of-immigration-from-the-european-economic-area/) - Introduction 1. The Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to weigh the evidence about the costs and benefits of EEA immigration. We believe that the evidence is clear: that while some immigration is beneficial to the UK, uncontrolled free movement from the EU is not. Our arguments are summarised below. The current pattern of EU
- [Where Next For The United Kingdom’s Population?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/where-next-for-the-united-kingdoms-population/) - Our estimate Last week’s ONS biannual population projections assumed, in their principal projection, net migration of 165,000. However we regard that as extremely unlikely unless the UK succeeds in taking advantage of Brexit to reduce EU migration by about 100,000 from its peak by cutting out migration into lower-skilled work as we have proposed. Otherwise, we
- [Response To An Offensive Comment On Conservative Home](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-an-offensive-comment-on-conservative-home/) - A comment on Lord Green’s article in Conservative Home on 20 November 2017 about the relevance of an EEA style arrangement for post-Brexit immigration from the EU made no attempt to address the argument. Instead, it contained the following abusive content: “It is perfectly fine and welcome to have rigorous debate about this topic, but why is
- [Migration Watch Uk Comment On Phase One Of The Brexit Negotiations](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-phase-one-of-the-brexit-negotiations/) - Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This is a sensible and satisfactory outcome. Importantly, it will not prevent us from achieving a substantial reduction in net migration from the EU once we have left. That must now be the focus of the government’s efforts.” Note to editors:Our view is that, on
- [Home Affairs Committee Report Is Superficial And Misdirected](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-affairs-committee-report-is-superficial-and-misdirected/) - Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This is a superficial report. It is critical of government failures but tacitly accepts the current level of immigration, with policy recommendations that would see mass immigration continue indefinitely, contrary to very strong public opinion. The call for students to be removed from the net
- [Submission By Lord Green Of Deddington, Chairman Of Migration Watch Uk, To The House Of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/submission-by-lord-green-of-deddington-chairman-of-migration-watch-uk-to-the-house-of-commons-scottish-affairs-committee/) - ‘Immigration and Scotland’Summary points: Scotland’s labour force is much less dependent on migrant workers than most of the rest of the UK. The majority of EU migrants in Scotland are employed in lower skilled jobs. A sample of Scottish employers and industry representatives found that they were ‘emphatic’ that Scotland’s employment needs are not different from the rest of the UK, apart from London
- [Evidence Submitted By Lord Green Of Deddington, Chairman Of Migration Watch Uk, To The Migration Advisory Committee – January 2018](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/evidence-submitted-by-lord-green-of-deddington-chairman-of-migration-watch-uk-to-the-migration-advisory-committee-january-2018/) - The impacts of international students in the UK Summary The benefits of international students are not in doubt – provided that they are genuine. There has been substantial abuse of the route since 2009 which has now been largely dealt with. The first year of exit checks has shown that 60,000 students extended their stay
- [European Union Demands Could Increase By Up To A Million Those Acquiring A Right To Settle In The Uk After Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/european-union-demands-could-increase-by-up-to-a-million-those-acquiring-a-right-to-settle-in-the-uk-after-brexit/) - The PM must firmly reject EU demands, allegedly being supported by President Macron, that their citizens who arrive after Brexit should be automatically granted the right to gain permanent settlement even though the UK will have left the EU. That is the conclusion of a Migration Watch UK paper (MW440 – Implications for immigration of a post-Brexit
- [Comment On Today’s Labour Market Statistics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-todays-labour-market-statistics/) - The EU-born workforce stands at 2.39 million, which is higher than before the referendum. The number of EU8-born workers has dipped below a million, but the number of EU2-born workers remains at near record levels. Meanwhile, the number of EU14-born workers has increased to its highest level ever. Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration
- [Response To Scottish Government Report On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-scottish-government-report-on-immigration/) - A Scottish Government report, published on 7 February, claims that cutting immigration could ‘cost’ Scotland’s economy £10bn per year from 2040. Firstly it should be pointed out that what is characterised as a potential ‘cost’ is not based on a claim that lower immigration would lead to an actual shrinkage in the economy but rather an estimate
- [Talk Of A Brexodus Is Absurd But The Public Will Not Be Fooled](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/talk-of-a-brexodus-is-absurd-but-the-public-will-not-be-fooled/) - ‘Exodus of the EU migrants’ said the front page of the Daily Express. ‘Brexodus’ exclaimed the Daily Star. BBC News led with: ‘Record numbers of EU nationals leaving the UK.’ As Julia Hartley-Brewer pointed out, the BBC headline was rich given the fact that the article quoted statistics for the period after the referendum showing that almost twice as
- [Confederation Of British Industry Takes Narrow Minded And Selfish View Of Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/confederation-of-british-industry-takes-narrow-minded-and-selfish-view-of-immigration/) - 1. Carolyn Fairbairn of the CBI has said that being able to access overseas labour of all skill levels and regardless of the eventual deal (or no deal) we strike with the EU is vital to business productivity and growth. 2. She has also said that extending to EU citizens the Tier-2 visa route currently
- [Selected Quotes From Migration Advisory Committee Interim Report On European Economic Area Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/selected-quotes-from-migration-advisory-committee-interim-report-on-european-economic-area-migration/) - Below are selected quotes from the new report, published on 27 March 2018 by the independent Migration Advisory Committee, entitled: ‘EEA-workers in the UK labour market: Interim Update’. GDP Per Head & Productivity‘The MAC view is that the UK has a well-known and long-standing productivity problem, lagging behind similar countries and a great deal of
- [Staffing The Health Service Requires Training Not Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/staffing-the-health-service-requires-training-not-immigration/) - The health sector had years to improve training of locals. Now they call for immigration. But that is not a solution. The only long-term answer is more training and better retention of existing staff We are regularly told that limits on skilled work permits are harming the NHS by preventing doctors and nurses coming in.
- [Evening Standard Editorial Contains Litany Of Errors](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/evening-standard-editorial-contains-litany-of-errors/) - The editorial ‘Clash on immigration — a win for the Cabinet’, which was published in the Evening Standard on 4 June 2018, is sloppily written and contains a number of factual errors: It alludes to what it calls the Prime Minister’s ‘opposition to visas for foreign NHS doctors’. This is a misrepresentation. As the government has said,
- [Written Evidence Submitted By Lord Green Of Deddington, Chairman Of Migration Watch Uk, To The House Of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, June 2018](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/written-evidence-submitted-by-lord-green-of-deddington-chairman-of-migration-watch-uk-to-the-house-of-commons-home-affairs-select-committee-june-2018/) - Post-Brexit migration What should the Government’s objectives be in drawing up a post Brexit immigration system? 1. The key objectives should be to end free movement so as to control and substantially reduce net migration from the EU, to retain the ability to recruit highly-skilled migrants from the EU and to maintain and develop the
- [Time For The Government To Stop Caving In To The Immigration Lobby](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/time-for-the-government-to-stop-caving-in-to-the-immigration-lobby/) - By Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UKDaily Express, 17 July 2018 Another year goes by and another set of Office of National Statistics figures show that net migration to the UK continues at eye-watering levels, driving population growth of nearly 400,000 people each year. While the headline figure of 282,000 net migrants arriving
- [Glossary of the Main Legal Words and Expressions used in the Context of Asylum and Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/glossary-of-the-main-legal-words-and-expressions-used-in-the-context-of-asylum-and-immigration/) - December 2018 Revision It is hoped that users of the Migration Watch website may find this glossary of assistance in reading other papers on the website or other relevant material. The definitions are not intended to be exhaustive or to carry the same authority as a legal practitioner’s work of reference, but simply to be
- [Report By Scottish Affairs Committee Should Acknowledge That Over Two-thirds Of Scots Want Reduced Eu Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/report-by-scottish-affairs-committee-should-acknowledge-that-over-two-thirds-of-scots-want-reduced-eu-immigration/) - The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee has released its reporton the topic of ‘Immigration and Scotland’. This is our response. It is very disappointing that the report’s conclusion saw fit to ignore the crucial fact, made in both oral and written evidence to the Committee, that the majority of Scots [55%] think that immigration levels over the
- [Letter From Lord Green Of Deddington, Chairman Of Migration Watch Uk, To Sir David Clementi, Chairman Of The Bbc](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/letter-from-lord-green-of-deddington-chairman-of-migration-watch-uk-to-sir-david-clementi-chairman-of-the-bbc/) - Dear Sir David, I am writing to express my serious concerns about a BBC video produced for ‘teaching’ 14 to 16 year olds about immigration. I am sure you will agree that immigration is an important and sensitive issue which should be treated with care and objectivity. Unfortunately, this video fails to meet these criteria.
- [Response To Critics Of Our Research On The Impact Of Immigration On Population Growth](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-critics-of-our-research-on-the-impact-of-immigration-on-population-growth/) - A recent Migration Watch UK paper shows that 82% of the total 6.6 million increase in the UK population between 2001 and 2016 was due, directly and indirectly, to immigration – that is to say a result of the net increase of those who were born overseas and their UK-born children. Put another way, immigration has been
- [An ‘army’ Of Illegal Immigrants Is Arriving In The Uk Every Year](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-army-of-illegal-immigrants-is-arriving-in-the-uk-every-year/) - The illegal immigrant population of the UK is rising by 70,000 per year – nearly equivalent to the size of the full-time British Army. That is the conclusion of a new paper (Illegal immigration – What can be done?) being issued by Migration Watch UK. The paper estimates the gross annual rise in the illegal
- [Office For National Statistics Household Projections For England](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/office-for-national-statistics-household-projections-for-england/) - Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This is a hopeless underestimate. The ONS are projecting annual net migration 25% lower than seen in the last ten years. Their high migration scenario is much more plausible and in line with the previous decade’s flows. That would mean a new home every three
- [No Good Case For Expanding Working Rights Of Asylum Seekers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-good-case-for-expanding-working-rights-of-asylum-seekers/) - Radically expanding working rights for asylum claimants (as some activists are demanding) would spur more abuse of the asylum system by those with unfounded claims – opening a ‘back-door’ to remain here while encouraging dangerous illegal immigration which puts huge burdens on the UK’s housing, public services and communities. A change such as this would
- [Rights Of European Union Citizens To Have Family Members Join Them After Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rights-of-european-union-citizens-to-have-family-members-join-them-after-brexit/) - Summary Under the terms of the draft UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, (published on 14 November 2018), the rights of EU nationals resident in the UK to bring in family members will exceed those of their British neighbours after Brexit day in March 2019 in the following respects: Those who arrive prior to end of the transition period will be
- [Signing United Nations Compact Could Only Undermine Government’s Commitment To Control And Reduce Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/signing-united-nations-compact-could-only-undermine-governments-commitment-to-control-and-reduce-immigration/) - The UK Government should make it clear that it will not sign the prospective United Nations ‘Global Compact on Migration for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration’. If they have any regard for their election promises it would be entirely hypocritical to do so. The accord would commit signatories to the goal of ‘enhanc[ing] availability and flexibility of pathways
- [Proposal For An 11-month Work Visa – A Very Bad Idea](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/proposal-for-an-11-month-work-visa-a-very-bad-idea/) - Summary On 23 November, the Daily Telegraph reported on leaked Cabinet papers which reveal that the Government has drawn up plans to introduce an 11-month visa for low-skilled workers to come to the UK. This proposal runs counter to the economic advice of the government’s own Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and will be seen as fiddling the
- [Our Response To The Government’s Immigration White Paper](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-response-to-the-governments-immigration-white-paper/) - The proposal to admit an unlimited number of low-skilled workers from a range of countries is astonishing. A validity ‘limited to twelve months’ could well become a means of fiddling the immigration figures since they do not count as migrants unless they intend to be here for more than a year. Furthermore, there is no way in which their
- [France Rejects Over 60% Of Asylum Applications By Iranians At First Instance; The Uk Rejects Only 42%](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/france-rejects-over-60-of-asylum-applications-by-iranians-at-first-instance-the-uk-rejects-only-42/) - Iranians who claim asylum have a more than 95% chance of staying on, legally or otherwise Only 182 failed Iranian asylum applicants are removed or depart each year despite 925 asylum rejections per annum (including after appeal) The British asylum system is less stringent than the one in France The UK needs to address the fact
- [Immigration Implications Of Brexit Trade Models](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-implications-of-brexit-trade-models/) - The Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Deal If the UK leaves the European Union with the Prime Minister’s withdrawal deal, free movement for EU workers will come to an end after a transition period. Nearly four million EU citizens who are already here, as well as those who arrive in the UK prior to the end of
- [Potential Impact Of White Paper – Exposure Of Full-time Jobs To New / Increased Global Recruitment](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/potential-impact-of-white-paper-exposure-of-full-time-jobs-to-new-increased-global-recruitment/) - Summary:Depending on the primary salary threshold for skilled workers that is finally implemented as part of the post-Brexit immigration system, between 6.2 million and up to 8.8 million full-time jobs held by UK-born employees would be exposed to the potential for new or much increased global recruitment. This is based on analysis of the number of full-time jobs held by UK-born employees (in each salary
- [What Would An Extension Of Article 50 Mean For Immigration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-would-an-extension-of-article-50-mean-for-immigration/) - Summary: Freedom of movement to the UK would continue during any extension period. EU net migration has averaged 80,000 per year since the Referendum. The extension of Article 50 may substitute for the transition period. However, as Martin Howe QC has argued, unlike during the transition period (during which free movement would also continue), the UK
- [Immigration And The Irish Border In The Event Of A No Deal Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-the-irish-border-in-the-event-of-a-no-deal-brexit/) - The government has consistently said that it will do everything in its power to avoid a hardening of the Irish border whatever the circumstances (although it has also been argued that, in the event of a no deal Brexit, a ‘hard border would be inevitable’). The government said in December 2018 that British / Irish citizens will
- [How Much Control Do Member States Have Over Free Movement?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-much-control-do-member-states-have-over-free-movement/) - Summary The suggestion that Belgium has shown that inflows of EU citizens can be controlled despite free movement is simply wrong. While EU law makes provision for certain restrictions on entry and stay, the scope is limited and both technical and practical issues severely restrict its application in practice. Context EU Directive 2004/38/EC stipulates that
- [Immigration Implications Of Indicative Votes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-implications-of-indicative-votes/) - Summary Parliament are conducting further indicative votes today. The immigration implications of the four options are outlined below. As long as the UK leaves the EU and EEA it should be able to assert sovereign control over immigration although pressure for concessions might arise in future trade negotiations. (see our paper). Customs union Enshrines in primary
- [Why Should We Allow International Graduates To Stay On And Stack Shelves?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-should-we-allow-international-graduates-to-stay-on-and-stack-shelves/) - The government has announced the introduction of a two-year post-study work route for foreign graduates of UK universities. It is already the case that are no limits on the number of international students who can remain in the UK if they move into skilled roles. However, the fact that only 5,100 took advantage of this
- [Written Evidence Submitted By Migration Watch To House Of Commons Public Bill Committee On The Immigration And Social Security Co-ordination Bill](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/written-evidence-submitted-by-migration-watch-to-house-of-commons-public-bill-committee-on-the-immigration-and-social-security-co-ordination-bill/) - Spring 2019 Summary: It is vital that post-Brexit changes to the immigration system help to restore public confidence in border control and also deliver a significant reduction in immigration levels. Proposals in the Immigration White Paper to loosen the Tier 2 (General) route for skilled workers are very concerning. Reliance on immigration is not the optimal means
- [The United Kingdom’s Points Based System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-united-kingdoms-points-based-system/) - Summary The UK already has a Points Based System (PBS) but it has failed to reduce, or even control, immigration. It needs reinforcement, not disruptive change. The Australian system operates entirely differently – its main purpose is to increase, not to reduce, immigration. The UK Experience A PBS was introduced in 2008 for work and
- [Boris Johnson’s Proposed Illegal Immigration Amnesty](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/boris-johnsons-proposed-illegal-immigration-amnesty/) - Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “It seems Mr Johnson is considering an amnesty for illegal immigrants in order to avoid another Windrush. This makes no sense. Those wrongly caught up in Windrush had every right to be here and bear no comparison to people who have either entered illegally or stayed on illegally
- [Illegal Immigration - Key Topic](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-immigration-key-topic/) - Ministers say they do not know the scale of illegal immigration. No official estimate has been published since 2005. Former senior Home Office personnel suggest that there are at least a million illegal immigrants here already. An ex-head of border enforcement claims 150,000 people enter without permission or fail to depart each year (2,885 a week) Our research finds
- [Population](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/population/) - Four-fifths of population growth in the UK is the direct and indirect result of immigration – see our paper and the most recent ONS population projections. Immigration added more than a million people to the UK (about equivalent to the population of Birmingham) every 3 years between 2001 and 2016 (more here). The population hit a record 66.4 million in
- [Pressure on Healthcare, Schools, Roads and Trains](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/pressure-on-healthcare-schools-roads-and-trains/) - The NHS There was an average of 2,000 GP registrations per day by those from overseas in 2016/17 (NHS statistics for England, Wales & Northern Ireland). The UK recently saw the first sustained drop in the number of GPs per head of population since the 1960s. Rapid, immigration-driven population growth is a key (yet often ignored) factor in this trend. Despite
- [Jobs and Welfare](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/jobs-and-welfare/) - Immigration can have a negative impact on the employment prospects of UK young people. It can also have a negative impact on the wages of the lowest-paid (although it can raise the wages of those on the highest pay). Immigration into low paid work adds significantly to the working-age benefits bill and to rapid population
- [Immigration and Economics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-economics/) - Despite many misleading claims to the contrary, the research consensus is that immigration overall has been and continues to be a significant annual fiscal cost for the UK. A paper published by the government in 2018 estimated that the immigrant population in the UK added £4.3 billion to the UK’s fiscal deficit in 2016/17. Immigration into
- [EU Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/eu-immigration/) - Under free movement rules, European Union (EU) citizens possess the right to enter and reside in the UK without the need to obtain leave. EU citizens do not need to show proof of the right to legally reside here in order to apply for jobs or use public services such as the NHS. However, free movement
- [The Points Based System in Australia – Appropriate for the UK?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-points-based-system-in-australia-appropriate-for-the-uk/) - 1. Summary 1.1 The government has promised to introduce an Australian-points based immigration system after Brexit. This paper looks at the Australian system in detail and asks the question of whether it is appropriate for the UK. Importantly, it includes an annual cap on permanent immigration which covers skilled workers: Australia has achieved effective border
- [The Points Based System in Australia – Appropriate for the UK?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-points-based-system-in-australia-appropriate-for-the-uk-2/) - 1. Summary 1.1 The government has promised to introduce an Australian-points based immigration system after Brexit. This paper looks at the Australian system in detail and asks the question of whether it is appropriate for the UK. Importantly, it includes an annual cap on permanent immigration which covers skilled workers: Australia has achieved effective border
- [Asylum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum/) - It is important that the UK should be able to provide refuge for those in genuine need while also deterring false claimants and removing those whose claims have been rejected. An “asylum seeker” is a person who has claimed asylum under the 1951 United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees (hereinafter referred to as
- [Skewering those ‘zombie facts’ - 20 bogus arguments for mass immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/skewering-those-zombie-facts-20-bogus-arguments-for-mass-immigration/) - 20 bogus arguments for mass immigration A number of bogus arguments are often deployed in favour of mass immigration. These can be lazily wheeled out and buttressed by misleading or ‘zombie facts' which refuse to die no matter how often they are proven to be false. Some politicians and commentators love falling back on them,
- [Is it true that Britons will not do seasonal agricultural work?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-it-true-that-britons-will-not-do-seasonal-agricultural-work/) - It has been reported that thousands of people, including many Brits, have signed up in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis to pick fruit and vegetables at farms across the UK. Record numbers of people in the UK are now looking for farming jobs (BBC News, 9 April 2020) following a drive by employers and
- [The History of Immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-history-of-immigration-to-the-uk/) - The claim that the UK is a ‘nation of immigrants’ is misleading. For nearly a thousand years there has been relatively little net migration to the UK. The huge scale of non-British immigration in the past two decades or so (running at over 500,000 per year, of which about 300,000 per annum have been long-term
- [The post-Brexit immigration system](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-post-brexit-immigration-system/) - 1. Section A deals with salary thresholds. Section B considers the use of the Australian, as well as other types of, points-based system (PBS). This paper makes four main points: The general salary threshold of £30,000 for skilled work visas is justified and should be retained. Salary thresholds have previously been endorsed by the Migration Advisory
- [16 million workers in the UK would see their jobs open to worldwide competition](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/16-million-workers-in-the-uk-would-see-their-jobs-open-to-worldwide-competition/) - Summary 1. The recommendationsof the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), published on 28th January, would mean that the basic salary requirements for hiring some immigrant workers would, in practice, be reduced from £30,000 to not much more than the minimum wage. Occupations included would even include child minders. A bogus scheme for unskilled workers was also endorsed. And yet
- [The Coronavirus crisis and border control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-coronavirus-crisis-and-border-control/) - Summary 1. There is a clear risk that older visitors from overseas could add to pressures on an already struggling NHS. In recent years there have been about 14 million visitor admissions per year from outside the EU, some from countries where the virus is a significant factor. Nearly ten million of these visitors were
- [Unauthorised Channel Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/unauthorised-channel-crossings/) - Summary 1. The record daily total for illegal arrivals across the English Channel in small boats has risen from just over 80 in 2019 to more than 100 (and 130 people making the attempt) in the Spring of 2020. More than 650 people have been recorded entering via this unauthorised and dangerous route since the
- [The Government Should Restore The £30,000 Pay Threshold For Foreign Workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-government-should-restore-the-30000-pay-threshold-for-foreign-workers/) - The government have lowered the pay threshold for applicants for skilled work permits from £30,000 per year to £25,600. It was part of a package enacted by the government which hugely weakened work visa safeguards during a massive jobs crisis. This was not the “best and brightest” idea, nor was it in the interests of the UK’s
- [How The Immigration White Paper Flies In The Face Of The Findings And Recommendations Of Government’s Own Migration Advisory Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-the-immigration-white-paper-flies-in-the-face-of-the-findings-and-recommendations-of-governments-own-migration-advisory-committee/) - Summary Notwithstanding the change of Prime Minister and Home Secretary, it appears that the December 2018 Immigration White Paper is still to form the basis of future immigration policy after Brexit. The government claim to have been guided by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in drawing up these proposals and, following pressure from the corporate
- [Statistical Failures Should Not Obscure The Huge Gulf Between Politicians And The Public Over Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/statistical-failures-should-not-obscure-the-huge-gulf-between-politicians-and-the-public-over-immigration/) - By Alp Mehmet, Daily Telegraph, 22 August 2019The public will rightly approach the new immigration figures, which estimate that 226,000 more long-term migrants moved here than departed in the year ending March 2019, with a healthy dose of scepticism. That is only natural in the wake of an admission by the Office for National Statistics that
- [Some Impacts Of Very High Immigration – Factsheet For The United Kingdom](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/some-impacts-of-very-high-immigration-factsheet-for-the-united-kingdom/) - 1. Net migration into the UK from overseas stands at 240,000 (year to September 2019 – see ONS bulletin). EU net migration has fallen by about 100,000 since 2016 but still stands at 64,000 more people coming than leaving. Non-EU net migration to the UK is the highest since 2004, and gross non-EU immigration is the highest on record,
- [Why Lock All The Internal Doors But Leave The External Ones Wide Open?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-lock-all-the-internal-doors-but-leave-the-external-ones-wide-open/) - Migration Watch UK’s stance is that travel by non-UK nationals who have spent time in the worst-affected countries should be suspended. However, British nationals who wish to return here should be still be able to fly home. We would add Spain to the list of worst-affected areas. Research (for instance by academics at Northwestern University) has
- [The Coronavirus Crisis And Border Control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-coronavirus-crisis-and-border-control-2/) - Introduction 1. There is a clear risk that older visitors from overseas could add to pressures on an already struggling NHS. In recent years there have been about 14 million visitor admissions per year from outside the EU, some from countries where the virus is a significant factor. Nearly ten million of these visitors were
- [Boat Tracking Station – Illegal Maritime Arrivals From Safe Countries](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/boat-tracking-station-illegal-maritime-arrivals-from-safe-countries/) - Please note: This web page is no longer kept updated and has been replaced with a new Channel Crossings Tracker that will update automatically every day of the week around noon. Access it here. It can also be accessed via the main menu and the home-page. What you need to know: So far 3,680 people have crossed illegally into Britain in
- [Border Control Betrayal Has Started](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/border-control-betrayal-has-started/) - Three BIG new uncapped immigration routes were opened from 1 January 2021 as part of the government’s Border Control Betrayal. Ministers are also overseeing an asylum system that is being scammed on a massive scale as illegal immigration rises (read more here). To make matters worse, in a futile bid to appease the immigration industry, they are
- [77% Say Brits Should Have First Shot At Vacancies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/77-say-brits-should-have-first-shot-at-vacancies/) - The government plans an immigration system that WEAKENS work visa rules for citizens of 80% of the world’s countries while scrapping the sensible limit on numbers – the opposite of restoring control. However, the public say that getting UK people back to work after the crisis should take priority over helping employers to hire from
- [Spending on tackling illegal immigration from France](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/spending-on-tackling-illegal-immigration-from-france/) - 1. The government has paid £114 million to the French government in order to stop illegal immigration originating from that country since 2015 (Parliamentary Answer, 16 June 2020) - see par. 4 below. 2. Despite this, illegal and overt Channel crossings in small boats are at a new high, with a record 145 people coming during one 24-hour
- [Route to UK citizenship for up to three million people from Hong Kong](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/route-to-uk-citizenship-for-up-to-three-million-people-from-hong-kong/) - Summary 1. China’s Parliament - the National People’s Congress - has approved a proposal to impose a new National Security law for Hong Kong. In response, the UK government said, on 29 May, that if China ‘continued down this path’, it would offer 350,000 British National (Overseas) - BNO - passport holders in the territory a ‘pathway
- [Majority Of Brits Want More Done To Stop Illegal Boat Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/majority-of-brits-want-more-done-to-stop-illegal-boat-crossings/) - A majority of the public believe that the government is not doing enough to tackle illegal Channel crossings in small boats from France and Belgium. And, as a new Migration Watch UK paper highlights the many millions of pounds spent by the government with France on addressing illlegal immigration, we ask: ‘Are UK taxpayers getting value
- [Offer Of Citizenship Path For British Nationals Overseas In Hong Kong](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/offer-of-citizenship-path-for-british-nationals-overseas-in-hong-kong/) - The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab have said that, if China imposes its National Security Law on Hong Kong, the British government would expand the British National (Overseas) – BNO – passport holders’ current right to visit for six months without a visa into an extendable 12 months. Under this status, work and study
- [Estimate of arrivals by illegal Channel crossing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/estimate-of-arrivals-by-illegal-channel-crossing/) - 1. The number of people arriving in the UK via illegal Channel crossing is on course to reach at least 7,500 in 2020 should they continue at the rate seen since January. 2. The number of crossings in the year so far - 2,400 - is four times the 600 or so that came during the first
- [Potential global pool of recruits under new Points-Based System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/potential-global-pool-of-recruits-under-new-points-based-system/) - Issue 1. A key factor determining the practical impact of the new Points-Based System is the size of the pool of eligible workers abroad. Our estimate, using cautious assumptions and based on a range of data sources, is that the pool might contain well over 600 million people. Even the possibility that it is of this
- [Has the UK become more positive about immigration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/has-the-uk-become-more-positive-about-immigration/) - Summary (i) In the midst of suggestions that the public has become less negative about immigration over the past decade, it is clear that stark divisions remain regarding perceptions about the impact of immigration (36% saying it is negative and 35% saying positive, according to YouGov in Feb. 2020). The key question for immigration policy
- [What happens to those crossing the Channel illegally?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-happens-to-those-crossing-the-channel-illegally/) - 1. Illegal Channel crossings in small boats are becoming more frequent. So far, 2020 has seen well over 4,000 detected arrivals in contrast to just under 1,900 in 2019. There was a record of 235 people detected arriving in a day in August 2020 (see our Channel Tracking Station).[1] Paragraphs 2 to 5 of this paper
- [150 more trades being opened to global recruitment as unemployment rises](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/150-more-trades-being-opened-to-global-recruitment-as-unemployment-rises/) - Introduction 1. The government have announced that the qualifications required for foreign workers to come to the UK will be reduced from degree level to “A” level when their new immigration system is introduced on 1 January 2021. 2. Furthermore, there will be no limit on the numbers that employers can recruit from overseas and the present
- [45,000 work permit cap needed in midst of rocketing redundancies](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/45000-work-permit-cap-needed-in-midst-of-rocketing-redundancies/) - Summary 1. As unemployment rises, sensible policy measures to protect the well-being of UK people are vital. A cap on the central work permit route leading to settlement - set at 45,000 per year - is needed to safeguard UK workers and jobseekers from the very rapid increase in foreign competition that is likely to result from
- [Updated projection of illegal Channel arrivals for 2020](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/updated-projection-of-illegal-channel-arrivals-for-2020/) - 1. The number of people that look set to arrive in the UK via illegal Channel crossing may be on course to approach 10,000 in 2020 should they continue at the rate seen since January. 2. The previous daily record of 235 arrivals on 6 August was vastly surpassed on 2 September with 416 arrivals
- [Foreign national offenders](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/foreign-national-offenders/) - There are 18,400 foreign national offenders (FNOs) in the UK, including 9,000 in prisons (who made up 11% of a total prison population in 2019 of 82,200).[1] Non-EU FNOs make up around 5,100 (or 57%) of the total FNO population in prisons; the other portion (3,900, or 43%) consists of EU nationals (2019).[2] In the
- [An Asylum System Overwhelmed and Abused](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-asylum-system-overwhelmed-and-abused/) - Summary 1. The asylum system is being overwhelmed following a rapid rise in the number of claims (most of which have been submitted by ‘clandestine’ entrants), as well as by growing costs, falling productivity, disintegrating enforcement, ballooning backlogs and significant (and, according to the government, “increas[ing]”) abuse. We estimate that, should Channel crossings be able to
- [New Home Needed Every Three To Four Minutes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-home-needed-every-three-to-four-minutes/) - We will need to build a home every three to four minutes to accommodate ongoing rapid. immigration-driven population growth if the level of overseas net migration into England returns to the pre-lockdown level of about 230,000 per year. That is something that is likely given the government’s intentional plan to increase non-EU immigration as part of its
- [Estimate Of 2020 Arrivals By Illegal Channel Crossing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/estimate-of-2020-arrivals-by-illegal-channel-crossing/) - The number of people arriving in the UK via illegal Channel crossing is on course to reach at least 7,500 in 2020 should they continue at the rate seen since January and in the absence of effective measures to stop them. The number of crossings in the year so far – 2,400 – is four times the
- [More Points-based System Details Released](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/more-points-based-system-details-released/) - Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “The government has been pushed into the flawed system that was proposed before Covid-19 struck. They are ploughing ahead as if the last four months hasn’t happened, overlooking entirely the rapidly increasing unemployment.“This system will encourage undercutting, while drawing in people from poorer countries that need
- [4 In 5 Illegal Channel Crossers Refused Asylum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/4-in-5-illegal-channel-crossers-refused-asylum/) - The Home Secretary told a Parliamentary Committee that those crossing the Channel have previously rejected the option of seeking asylum while passing through safe countries. Ms Patel said ‘migrants had journeyed through other countries which were safe refuges’. She added: “France is a safe country, Germany is a safe country, Italy is a safe country,
- [Some Are In Denial About The Massive Abuse Of Our Asylum System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/some-are-in-denial-about-the-massive-abuse-of-our-asylum-system/) - Recently we pointed to an explosive claim that there has been a recent ‘increase in abuse’ of the asylum system. This triggered the open borders industry. Clearly we struck a nerve. We cited as a source a June 2020 National Audit Office report(NAO) on immigration enforcement which examined a claim by the Home Office of an ‘increase in
- [We Are A Magnet For Europe’s Failed Asylum Claimants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-are-a-magnet-for-europes-failed-asylum-claimants/) - The Conservative Party said in its 2019 election manifesto: “We want the UK to be a magnet for the best and brightest.” (see p. 20) They also promised to ‘control’ immigration (see p. 2). Instead we are a magnet for illegal immigrants and control has gone up the chimney, along with Santa. Thousands of those who are illegally crossing the
- [Red Wall Constituents Oppose Government’s Immigration Proposals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/red-wall-constituents-oppose-governments-immigration-proposals/) - Migration Watch UK have today published the results of an opinion poll focused on the Red Wall constituencies on which the government’s majority in the House of Commons depends. The poll was conducted in 70 selected constituencies ranging from North Wales across to the North East of England and was carried out by Deltapoll in
- [Visa Grants In The Era Of Covid](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-grants-in-the-era-of-covid/) - Initial suggestions are that the visa grants during the Covid period (e.g. Q2 2020) were 90%+ lower than in Q2 2019 (see below). However, it is important to note that the pandemic’s impact on immigration, particularly on work-related immigration, should not be used as the basis for justifying plans that were drawn up long before Covid-19 reared
- [Illegal Channel Crossings Are A Huge Injustice](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-channel-crossings-are-a-huge-injustice/) - Illegal Channel crossings have spiralled upwards this year. More people crossed in September 2020 than during all of 2019. It’s part of a larger European debacle which began in earnest with Angela Merkel’s foolhardy invitation in the summer of 2015 to irregular migrants to come to Germany. Nearly 1.9 million people have illegally crossed into the EU
- [Trends In Asylum-related Support And Accommodation](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/trends-in-asylum-related-support-and-accommodation/) - The UK’s asylum system is being overwhelmed and abused (see our paper). One symptom of the beleaguered state of the system is that the number of people housed at taxpayer expense has tripled since 2012. In the year to September, the total number of people housed stood at 60,000 – the population of a small city – and even includes thousands of
- [Only One In Every 42 Illegal Channel Arrivals Returned To Europe](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/only-one-in-every-42-illegal-channel-arrivals-returned-to-europe/) - Between 1 January 2019 and 1 October 2020, 237 migrants who crossed the English Channel were returned to mainland Europe. This is just over 2% of of just under 10,000 or so people who have been reported illegally crossing the Channel since the start of 2019 (see our Tracker) – only one in every 42 arrivals. This news comes
- [Estimated Cost Of Housing And Payments For Failed Asylum Claimants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/estimated-cost-of-housing-and-payments-for-failed-asylum-claimants/) - What is the estimated cost of supporting asylum seekers and how has it changed? 1. The overall cost of the asylum system is more than £1.3 billion. As part of this spending, the government is required by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (henceforth ‘the 1999 Act’) to provide housing and payments to certain eligible
- [Afraid Of Public Scrutiny, Government Scraps Vital Immigration Control Via Backdoor](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/afraid-of-public-scrutiny-government-scraps-vital-immigration-control-via-backdoor/) - Proposed new immigration rules contain devil in the detail – namely a very large reduction in the salary that skilled workers will need to earn in order to settle here (from just under £36,000 now to as low as £20,500). Astoundingly, details of this have been hidden from the public and press – the change
- [Asylum Being Abused: Claimants Caught Lying About Age](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-being-abused-claimants-caught-lying-about-age/) - Official statistics show that over half of asylum seekers whose age was checked after they claimed to be under 18 were found to be adults between Q2 2016 and Q2 2020. That is just under 1,600 out of 3,100 cases. Ahmed Hassan, the Parsons Green Tube bomber, was one of many adult migrants who lied about
- [Written Evidence On Channel Crossings Submitted To House Of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/written-evidence-on-channel-crossings-submitted-to-house-of-commons-home-affairs-select-committee/) - 1. We make this submission after considering reports and official statistics that have been released about Channel crossings, asylum and enforcement in recent months. These include publications by the Home Office (HO), the National Audit Office (NAO), the House of Commons Library, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee and the Independent Chief Inspector of
- [Overseas Net Migration To Scotland Nearly Tripled In A Year](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/overseas-net-migration-to-scotland-nearly-tripled-in-a-year/) - Overseas net migration to Scotland nearly tripled between 2018 and 2019, from 10,000 to 28,000 (newly-released ONS statistics). To see more on the topic of immigration and Scotland, see our written evidence to a Parliamentary Committeefrom early 2018.
- [The Shocking Failure To Deport Dangerous Criminals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-shocking-failure-to-deport-dangerous-criminals/) - Lawyers succeeded in stopping criminals including rapists and killers from being deported to Jamaica because 23 serious crooks submitted last-minute appeals – including human rights claims – which led to them avoiding removal. Only 13 criminals from an original list of 57 were on board a Home Office charter plane which took off from Stansted
- [Independent Watchdog Blasts Government For Failing To Prevent Surge In Illegal Channel Crossings Early On](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/independent-watchdog-blasts-government-for-failing-to-prevent-surge-in-illegal-channel-crossings-early-on/) - Reporton illegal entries by the Independent Borders Watchdog is devastating for the government Government missed chance to prevent surge in Channel migrants due to failure to take ‘more decisive action’ earlier on (p.6). Border Force crew believe they are being used as ‘taxi service‘ by illegal immigrants as Channel crossings reach record levels (p.73) Report reveals that some
- [How The Open Borders Industry Uses Victimology Dogma To Get Its Own Way](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-the-open-borders-industry-uses-victimology-dogma-to-get-its-own-way/) - The Windrush scandal has brought into sharp relief the power and reach of Britain’s immigration industry. The government’s mishandling of the rights of those who had been granted settlement was a bureaucratic mistake. However, what is worse is that this scandal has subsequently been weaponised by powerful interests in order to imply that the strategy
- [Impact of immigration on demand for homes in England](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/impact-of-immigration-on-demand-for-homes-in-england/) - Summary 1. After the Covid crisis, net migration levels could well revert to the high levels witnessed over the past five years, or even surpass them, given the range of various additional uncapped routes being opened under the new Points Based System. If so, just over half of extra homes needed in England by the early 2040s
- [How many people are expected to take up the new Hong Kong visa?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-many-people-are-expected-to-take-up-the-new-hong-kong-visa/) - Summary 1. The government expects about 300,000 people to come to the UK over five years on a new path to citizenship that will - from 31 January 2021 - be available to more than five million people in Hong Kong (nearly three-quarters of the territory’s population). This note summarises the government’s methodology in making
- [What action is the government taking to tackle overstaying?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-action-is-the-government-taking-to-tackle-overstaying/) - Summary 1. The number of foreign nationals who need a visa but who the Home Office did not record as departing the UK on time nearly doubled from 50,000 in 2016/17 to nearly 92,000 in 2019/20. Additionally, the most recent investigation into the number of visitors from more than 50 countries who do not need a visitor
- [Outcomes for UK-based applicants for nursing courses](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/outcomes-for-uk-based-applicants-for-nursing-courses/) - 1. Analysis of figures released by UCAS show that a majority (54%) of UK-domiciled applicants to nursing courses have been rejected since 2010 (348,000 out of just under 650,000 applicants). 2. More than 23,000 UK-based applicants failed to gain training places last year even as the country faced the initial onslaught of Covid. 36,200 people were
- [Growing Deficiencies In Immigration Enforcement](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/growing-deficiencies-in-immigration-enforcement/) - Ex-senior government officials say there are likely to be more than a million illegal migrants in the UK and that a government estimate found that between 150,000 and 250,000 people fail to leave the UK when they should each year or illegally enter (pp.27-28 of reportby think tank Civitas). The number of illegal migrants hiding in the back of vehicles
- [What’s The Point Of Taking Back Control Of Immigration If We Don’t Reduce It?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/whats-the-point-of-taking-back-control-of-immigration-if-we-dont-reduce-it/) - By Lord GreenPresident of Migration Watch UKConservative Home, December 27, 2020 The Trade Agreement announced on Christmas Eve has at last given us the very welcome opportunity to take back control of our laws, our trade, and our future. The government is to be warmly congratulated. Sadly, however, immigration has still not been effectively tackled. What
- [Immigration And Demand For Homes In England](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-demand-for-homes-in-england/) - Summary 1. After the Covid crisis, net migration levels could well revert to the high levels witnessed over the past five years, or even surpass them, given the range of additional uncapped routes being opened under the new Points Based System. If so, just over half of extra homes needed in England by the early 2040s will
- [Why Do We Need So Many More Houses? Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-do-we-need-so-many-more-houses-immigration/) - By Alp MehmetChairman of Migration Watch UKConservative Woman, January 2, 2021 The thirty years after the Second World War saw millions of housing units built. Bombed-out, poor and temporary homes (prefabs) were replaced by units more fit for purpose. By the end of the 1950s, around 15 million units were under construction nationwide and 22
- [The Government Has Opened Up The Risk Of Rapid Inflows Of Millions Of People With No Ability To Control The Numbers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-government-has-opened-up-the-risk-of-rapid-inflows-of-millions-of-people-with-no-ability-to-control-the-numbers/) - The UK pledge to grant 5.4 million people the right to come to the UK and settle permanently in the midst of a global health crisis is the opposite of ‘taking back control’ as Ministers pledged. The government have essentially abandoned control over access to long-term immigration for 5.4 million people currently residing in Hong
- [Immigration And Population Decline](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-population-decline/) - A recent article in the Guardian newspaper claimed that an emerging ‘crisis’ was being seen as ‘ageing populations place shrinking economies under ever greater strain’, adducing as evidence increasing abandonment of villages in places as far apart as Spain and Japan. This prompted responses such as this, perhaps to be expected in the Guardian, that more immigration was the only solution.
- [Nothing Is Less True Than The Claim We Are A Nation Of Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nothing-is-less-true-than-the-claim-we-are-a-nation-of-migrants/) - There is a very persistent myth about Britain, that we are ‘a nation of immigrants.’ Ed West in his excellent book The Diversity Illusion, debunks this claim comprehensively. Below is a list of the key points West tackles on this issue and his reasons for saying this claim is untrue. In September 2000, Immigration Minister Barbara
- [Are Anti-trafficking Laws Being Abused For Immigration Purposes?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/are-anti-trafficking-laws-being-abused-for-immigration-purposes/) - 1. Modern slavery and people trafficking are evils. The former is the “the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation”. Under Section 2, Part 1 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, a person commits
- [Staffing The Health Service Requires Training Not Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/staffing-the-health-service-requires-training-not-immigration-2/) - The health sector had years to improve training of locals. Now they call for immigration. But that is not a solution. The only long-term answer is more training and better retention of existing staff Reliance on overseas-trained medical staff has allowed the NHS to get away with a long-term failure to plan for the training
- [Toughen Up On Illegal Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/toughen-up-on-illegal-immigration/) - New Freedom of Information data revealed that, between 2015 and 2019, there were 44,415 raids on private homes and on care homes thought to be employing illegal workers, resulting in just 7,578 people being removed (see media report). Only 17% of enforcement raids led to removal. These enforcement visits appear to be just a portion of
- [Zero Removals Of Illegal Channel Immigrants In 2021 So Far](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/zero-removals-of-illegal-channel-immigrants-in-2021-so-far/) - Times columnist Melanie Phillips recently pointed to the pernicious effect of the lack of effective action by the government to tackle illegal Channel crossings (see piece, published 2 March 2021). Statistics released by the Home Office suggest that, between 1 January 2019 and 1 October 2020, less than 250 migrants who crossed the English Channel were returned to mainland
- [New Evidence Of Our Failing Asylum System Which Costs You £1bn Per Year](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-evidence-of-our-failing-asylum-system-which-costs-you-1bn-per-year/) - New Home Office statisticsprovide even more cause for thinking that the UK’s asylum system is rapidly becoming unfit for purpose. The number of cases waiting for over a year to be processed has risen to nearly 26,000 out of just under 52,000 claims, and now account for half of all applications awaiting an initial decision. Indeed,
- [Save Our Green Space By Restoring Sense To Immigration Policy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/save-our-green-space-by-restoring-sense-to-immigration-policy/) - Figures released by the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Governmentshow that we have lost nearly 12 square miles of supposedly protected green space per year since 2015 because of the rampant over-development that is partially linked to the failure to control immigration. The total land area in the green belt which was set aside for development by councils
- [New Statistics Point To Rising Asylum Fraud](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/new-statistics-point-to-rising-asylum-fraud/) - New analysis of official statistics released by the Home Officepoints to increasing abuse of our asylum system by those who have broken the rules or by non-UK born criminals attempting to stave off deportation. The proportion of people claiming asylum in detention rose from less than a third (32%) to almost half (47%) – 2017-19. Even though more
- [How Much Do British Citizens Really Care About Mass Immigration?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-much-do-british-citizens-really-care-about-mass-immigration/) - Many commentators and policy-makers are using the anomaly of the Covid-19 pandemic and the relief of finally seeing Brexit happen to claim that Britain is now ready for a liberalisation of immigration policy. International travel is down, and many people put economic uncertainty ahead of worries about border control. However, this must not be misrepresented
- [The Concerns Of Millions About Failures Of Immigration Control Must Not Be Dismissed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-concerns-of-millions-about-failures-of-immigration-control-must-not-be-dismissed/) - Given the reluctance of large parts of the media to report on the topic of immigration in a balanced way, we thought you might welcome a regular update on what is going on. We will modify the format and content of this newsletter as time passes, and would welcome your thoughts about what you like,
- [Let’s Train Uk Workers And Pay Them More](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lets-train-uk-workers-and-pay-them-more/) - The most noteworthy immigration news this week was the Home Secretary’s announcement on Wednesday to require all UK nationals and residents returning from 22 countries where there is a risk of known Covid variants (and who cannot be refused entry) to isolate in government-provided accommodation – such as hotels – for ten days after arrival
- [Is This Really ‘taking Back Control’?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-this-really-taking-back-control/) - Welcome to our third regular newsletter. Here are some of the issues that have kept us busy this week. The open-ended offer to Hong Kong’s British National (Overseas) passport holders of a path to settlement went live on 31 January. The government’s optimistic (complacent?) central estimate is that about 300,000 people could come in the next
- [Recovery Starts At Home](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/recovery-starts-at-home/) - Now more than ever, we need a firm immigration system; that is what the public understand, and what they thought the government meant, by ‘control of our borders’. Our economy is heading for stormy seas. Some nine million jobs could be lost due to the pandemic and lockdowns, according to recently published research. This makes it
- [Your Voice Will Be Heard](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/your-voice-will-be-heard/) - This week it emerged that 43% of people in the UK felt they could not voice their honest opinions about immigration in public. This is shocking, but after 20 years fighting against the proponents of unlimited immigration and open borders, it did not surprise us. It simply means that our work has never been more important. While
- [One Rule For Them, Another For You](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/one-rule-for-them-another-for-you/) - Despite the ‘lockdown’ and tough rhetoric from the government, reported illegal Channel arrivals in small boats from safe countries were up 44% during January and February this year compared to the number reported during the first two months of 2020 (see our Channel Tracking Station). As we had forecast, without firm action, the problem would get worse. The
- [We Can Train Our Own Nurses](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-can-train-our-own-nurses/) - The major news this week included government announcements of new immigration routes and a further weakening of rules governing the recruitment of health and other staff from abroad (see our Chairman quoted on this in The Times). Linked to this, we received media coverage for our briefing paper highlighting the fact that thousands of UK-based applicants for nursing courses have been
- [Asylum Enforcement Is Down](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-enforcement-is-down/) - New figures (summarised here) and the graph below show that the number of asylum cases waiting for over a year to be processed has risen to nearly 26,000 or just under 52,000 claims that are awaiting an initial decision. Yet more evidence that the UK’s asylum system is unfit for purpose. Read our paper on the creek
- [Save Our Green Spaces](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/save-our-green-spaces/) - Protected green spaces in Britain are increasingly being eroded. The latest government figures reveal that local councils are increasingly allocating supposedly protected green space for construction – with 12 square miles of land per year set aside for housing and other construction. Over the past five years Britain has lost nearly 60 square miles of
- [A Good Start Home Secretary!](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-good-start-home-secretary/) - The big news this week has of course been the Home Secretary’s presentation to Parliament of the (on the whole, welcome) consultation document for reforming the ‘broken’ asylum system and to deal with illegal immigration, especially by those arriving in dinghies and the backs of lorries from safe countries. We broadly welcomed it (see our press
- [Modern Slavery Laws Abused](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/modern-slavery-laws-abused/) - Very sad to learn of the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. A wonderful man. May he rest in peace.Abuse of Modern Slavery lawsThis week has seen more reports of abuse of our immigration system. The news that Albanian gangsters have been using modern slavery laws to avoid being detained by police (see our
- [Risks of reviving the defective post-study work route](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/risks-of-reviving-the-defective-post-study-work-route/) - Summary 1. Until this year, non-EU students (who account for seven in ten overseas students in higher education[1]) have been restricted to a job search of up to six months after graduation before switching into a skilled work visa - the grant of which required a job offer, a minimum salary level and a resident
- [What Might Be In The Government’s Plan To Tackle Abusive Legal Claims By Activist Lawyers?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-might-be-in-the-governments-plan-to-tackle-abusive-legal-claims-by-activist-lawyers/) - The Home Office is on the verge of releasing its plan to reform asylum rules to deter vexatious legal claims by activist lawyers and those with no right to be in the UK who are attempting to stave off their removal. The public has learned about these plans in nuggets released to the press in
- [An Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants Would Risk Lives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/an-amnesty-for-illegal-immigrants-would-risk-lives/) - Summary 1. The PM said of his asylum policy on 18 March 2021: “The objective here is to save life.” That same day he spoke in favour of his long-standing proposal for an amnesty for long-term illegal immigrants. If the aim is to save life, why would you offer an amnesty that would only spur more people
- [Our Comment On Government’s Asylum Proposals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-comment-on-governments-asylum-proposals/) - Commenting Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “These proposals are welcome. They are, rightly, designed to remove those who make false claims and to deter “asylum shoppers” who come here from countries where they are already safe. The asylum system has come very close to collapse because of high numbers and increasing abuse.
- [Alarming Rise In Abuse Of Modern Slavery Laws](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/alarming-rise-in-abuse-of-modern-slavery-laws/) - Two in three modern slavery referrals made by foreign nationals in detention that were concluded between 2017 and 2019 were rejected. This rejection rate increased from 65% in 2017 to 70% in 2019. Table 1- Outcomes of modern slavery referrals from detention (HO analysis, Mar 2021). The news comes as the Home Office revealed it
- [Illegal Entries Rose Even As Global Travel Was Restricted During Pandemic](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-entries-rose-even-as-global-travel-was-restricted-during-pandemic/) - The government has detailed its proposals for tackling abuse of the asylum system in a new policy statementissued late last month. It includes news that nearly 50,000 people who were detected having illegally arrived in the UK by various means (see below and Home Office policy statement, March 2021). The document confirms that the number of illegal
- [Failure To Secure Border Threatens You And Your Family](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/failure-to-secure-border-threatens-you-and-your-family/) - Asylum chaos and law enforcement failures threaten YOU and YOUR FAMILY. Illegal entries have skyrocketed in 2021 and almost everyone arriving deliberately destroys their identity documentation so there is limited means of ever finding out who most people really are. This is the major security concern stemming from the massive rise in illegal immigration that has occurred this
- [100,000+ Convictions For Not Paying Television Licence Fee But Fewer Than 50 For Illegal Entry](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/100000-convictions-for-not-paying-television-licence-fee-but-fewer-than-50-for-illegal-entry/) - There were 114,000 convictions of UK residents for TV licence fee evasion in 2019 (Ministry of Justice data). In contrast there have been less than 50 convictions for illegal entry or overstaying under Section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the past four years (2018-2021). The statute book is full to bursting with criminal
- [Immigration Controls Weakened](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-controls-weakened/) - Despite last week’s tough rhetoric over asylum abuse, the government’s overall immigration policy is scarily weak. This week we published a paper about new rules allowing foreign students to take up any kind of work for up to two years after finishing their studies. You can also see our press release here. Previously, non-EU graduates (who make up
- [Prosecutions On Illegal Immigration Are Down](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prosecutions-on-illegal-immigration-are-down/) - This week we point to prosecutions of illegal immigration offences – just 625 prosecutions a year between 2017 and 2019); see ‘Blog of the Week’ below. This is doubly concerning as our borders are still as porous as ever, despite the tough talk from government and the continued global health crisis. As out Channel Tracking Station shows,
- [Jobs Crisis Worsened By Looser Visa Rules](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/jobs-crisis-worsened-by-looser-visa-rules/) - Official figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics tell us that there has been a decrease of 813,000 in payrolled employees since the first ‘lockdown’ started last year, and 53% per cent of this is due to fewer people under 25 being employed. On top of this 436,000 drop in payroll employment for
- [Time To Have Your Say](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/time-to-have-your-say/) - As some readers of this E-mail may know, the Home Office is holding a consultation on the plans to reform the asylum system announced by the Home Secretary on March 24. This really is an opportunity for you to have your say on what you would like to happen. Priti Patel has said that the main objectives of
- [Voters Still Care About Borders](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/voters-still-care-about-borders/) - There was further evidence of the perception gap on the issue of immigration between the public and the political establishment this week. The immigration-at-all-costs priorities of our leaders was reflected perfectly in the new trade deal with India, which will allow Indian nationals have even easier access to the UK for work and study. This comes in
- [Immigration Control Helps Cohesion](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-control-helps-cohesion/) - Former EU Brexit negotiator Michael Barnier announced this week that he thinks France should ‘possibly’ suspend immigration from outside the EU for the next five years. As columnist Stephen Glover wrote in the Daily Mail, this seems to suggest that the UK’s desire to reclaim border sovereignty may not have been so xenophobic and small minded after all. Glover goes on
- [The Rule Of Law Matters](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-rule-of-law-matters/) - Enforcement of the law was thwarted by a mob in Glasgow a week ago, encouraged by Nicola Sturgeon and her justice minister, Humza Yousaf, and other politicians, – like Labour MSP, Paul Sweeney, who issued a tweet that included a map of how to get to where the detained men and immigration enforcement officials were
- [A ‘smoke And Mirrors’ Immigration Plan](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-smoke-and-mirrors-immigration-plan/) - The government absurdly claims that its plan for non-UK national arrivals (still on a massive scale) delivers ‘firmer’ control of immigration. Meanwhile, the Home Secretary dodged answering a question on whether immigration would be reduced, dismissing it as the ‘language of old’. This was not what she said in February last year or indeed what she
- [Where Is The Crackdown?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/where-is-the-crackdown/) - Bright weather, calm seas and light winds on a spring bank holiday and, guess what, illegal Channel crossings shoot up (as reported by the BBC). And yet, it seems that every time this happens, as it did over the bank holiday weekend, the Home Office throws its hands up in surprise and tells us how many the French stopped
- [The Great British Immigration Con](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-great-british-immigration-con/) - Nearly 1,600 people have illegally crossed the Channel since the start of the late May Bank Holiday weekend (see our Channel Tracking Station). On Saturday, a Border Force vessel entered French waters to pick up migrants and take them to Dover. On Tuesday, a further 179 in six dinghies were escorted by Border Force into our waters. Meanwhile, Lucy Moreton,
- [We Can Solve Illegal Channel Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-can-solve-illegal-channel-crossings/) - The number of people who have crossed the Channel in 2021 hit 5000 this week. That is more than two-and-a-half times the number who crossed this time last year. If it continues at the current rate, we can expect well over 20,000 coming illegally across the Channel by the end of the year. Sadly, there will also be
- [British People Want A Reduction In Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-people-want-a-reduction-in-immigration/) - We have published new figures showing that nearly six in ten (57%) of the British population think there should be a reduction in immigration. See our polling summary. A Deltapoll conducted earlier this month found that 77% of 2019 Conservative voters wanted a reduction in immigration, as did 72% in areas that the Conservatives newly won at the last election. Separately, recent findings
- [Scotland and Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/scotland-and-immigration/) - Summary 1. The population of Scotland has been increasing for the last 20 years and is approaching 5.5 million. Meanwhile the foreign-born share and the proportion of the population made up of other ethnicities have both more than tripled - from about 3% to 10-11% of the total. The impact of immigration is especially marked
- [Official Statistics Body May Have Under-counted Net Immigration Of Foreigners By 380,000 (2011-20)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/official-statistics-body-may-have-under-counted-net-immigration-of-foreigners-by-380000-2011-20/) - The Office for National Statistics has produced experimental research which estimatedthat net immigration from overseas to the UK in the year to June 2020 was just over 282,000. Here are the key takeaways of the experimental and provisional research methodology which the ONS hopes to deploy for future estimates: Total net migration was 282,000 about 75,000 than 207,000 in
- [Our Written Evidence On The Government’s Proposed Asylum Reforms](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-written-evidence-on-the-governments-proposed-asylum-reforms/) - The government announced changes to the immigration and asylum system in March 2021. See the Home Secretary’s statement to Parliament on the government’s proposals. A policy statement is available here. Migration Watch UK welcomes the government’s renewed efforts to deter illegal immigration and tackle asylum abuse. Illegal entry is “most common method of entry for asylum seekers”.
- [Experimental Official Research: Net Migration In Year To June 2020 Was 247,000](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/experimental-official-research-net-migration-in-year-to-june-2020-was-247000/) - According to new provisional estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), net migration from overseas to the UK in the year ending June 2020 was just over 247,000. Total long-term immigration by all citizenships was estimated at 622,000 and total emigration was estimated at 375,000. This would be about 40,000 higher than the net migration estimate for the previous year
- [Uk’s Eight Million Population Rise Drives Congestion, Gridlock And Declining Quality Of Life](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uks-eight-million-population-rise-drives-congestion-gridlock-and-declining-quality-of-life/) - The relentless expansion of the UK’s population is coming to a head as new figures from the ONS suggest that the country has reached the landmark level of 67 million. The British population has risen by around 430,000 each year since 2000, an amount equivalent to bringing in nearly the population of Bristol annually. Over four-fifths
- [Home Secretary Dodges Question Of Whether Immigration Will Go Up Or Down](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-secretary-dodges-question-of-whether-immigration-will-go-up-or-down/) - In November 2019 (before the most recent General Election), the Home Secretary pledged that immigration would come down as a result of planned reforms to the immigration system. See Times article – ‘Election 2019: We will reduce migration, pledges Patel‘, November 2019. Immigration by non-UK citizens has run at about 560,000 per year (2015-20), with the net inflow running
- [What Do The Public Think About Illegal Channel Crossings?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-do-the-public-think-about-illegal-channel-crossings/) - 55% of the public, including 77% of voters who backed the Tories at the last election, believe the Government’s approach to managing Channel crossings is “too soft”, according to a Redfield and Wilton Strategies poll published in late November 2021 (see report here). Migration was also the performance area in which Mr Johnson received the worst negative ratings from
- [24,000 People Illegally Crossed The Channel This Year But Just Five Have Been Returned](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/24000-people-illegally-crossed-the-channel-this-year-but-just-five-have-been-returned/) - There have just five removals in 2021 of illegal cross-Channel migrants to safe European countries. The news was revealed by a government minister under questioning by a Parliamentary Committee in November 2021. In the Summer of 2019, the-then new Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned illegal Channel immigrants not to come otherwise ‘we will send you back‘ (see
- [The Uk’s Population Is Soaring](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-uks-population-is-soaring/) - New estimates from the ONS put the UK population at a staggering 67 million for the first time ever (a rise of nearly 4 million in a decade and eight million since 2001). Perhaps we have already reached 70 million. We only say that in light of the baffling official underestimate of the number EU citizens here – we
- [We’ve Heard All The Tough Talk Before](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weve-heard-all-the-tough-talk-before/) - The Home Secretary has shown courage with the proposals in the Nationality and Borders Bill presented in Parliament this week. The Opposition, NGOs and open borders commentariat lost no time in denouncing the Bill. There is of course no question of our going to the aid of genuine refugees fleeing persecution, as we always have.
- [Mass Immigration’s Coming Back](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-immigrations-coming-back/) - As we approach freedom day (sort of), the big question for us is how long it will be before immigration reverts to its pre-pandemic levels. We firmly believe that it won’t take very long at all. The problem is, at this important juncture, the government have abandoned the method that has been used over many years to
- [Record Highs For Illegal Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/record-highs-for-illegal-crossings/) - The biggest story this week didn’t turn out to be ‘Freedom Day’ – mainly because it wasn’t – but the mayhem on the Channel. This week has seen record numbers crossing over from France. On Monday 430 people came, 287 followed on Tuesday and by mid-week the daily count was 219. The total for the year is
- [Mass Immigration Has Changed Our Society](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-immigration-has-changed-our-society/) - 90% of population growth in the crowded UK is fuelled by mass immigration This week we launched the first in a series of papers with which we will look closely at the impact immigration has had on the growth of the population and the pace of change to the make-up of our society over the last
- [We Must Stop The ‘taxi Service’ On The Channel](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-must-stop-the-taxi-service-on-the-channel/) - No, it was not Mr Farage who first referred to a ‘taxi service’ for those crossing the English Channel illegally, it was in fact some of the boat crews on the Border Force’s (BF) coastal patrol vessels voicing their concerns to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) and quoted in a report
- [We Can’t Take Everyone From Afghanistan](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-cant-take-everyone-from-afghanistan/) - Events in Afghanistan this week have dominated the headlines, while the predictable calls from many have been to take in unlimited numbers of refugees from that blighted country. We must of course provide refuge for those who worked for us and are a target for the vengeful and barbaric Taliban, notwithstanding what their smooth-talking spokesmen
- [Mass Migration Transforms Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-migration-transforms-britain/) - UK transformed without public consent We published an important briefing paper this week that took a further look at the impact of two decades of massive, uncontrolled immigration. It details from which parts of the world the nearly five million additional overseas-born people have come since 2000, and considers what this has meant for both population growth and societal
- [Impact of immigration in changing the UK population](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/impact-of-immigration-in-changing-the-uk-population/) - Summary 1. The UK is already a crowded country yet our population is growing rapidly and is also being significantly changed by immigration at a much faster rate than has been generally understood. Indeed, 90% of growth since 2017 has been driven by immigration and subsequent children. Since 2001, the foreign-born share of the population
- [Immigration and population change in the UK's towns and cities](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-and-population-change-in-the-uks-towns-and-cities/) - Summary 1. This paper should be read alongside our previous research (‘Impact of immigration in changing the UK population’, issued on 27 July 2021[1]). That paper found that the foreign-born population of the UK had doubled from about 4.5 million to around nine million between 2001 and 2020 and that the ethnic minority population of
- [From which parts of the world have migrants come?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/from-which-parts-of-the-world-have-migrants-come/) - Summary 1. The foreign-born population of the UK was estimated to be 9.2 million in 2019/20 - 90% of whom were residing in England. Three to four million (38%) were born in the European Union (EU) and 5.7 million (just under two in three) had been born outside the EU.[1] More common reasons for those from the EU
- [Why Immigration Control Matters – The Views Of Three Thinkers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-immigration-control-matters-the-views-of-three-thinkers/) - Summary The view that immigration should be reduced and controlled is often mischaracterised as a form of racism and xenophobia. However, there is a tradition of political thinking showing that controlling immigration is part of a necessary preservation of what makes society a continuous, united and functional whole. Rigid homogeneity can be destructive to society.
- [Net Immigration In Year To June 2020 Estimated To Be 247,000 (says Office For National Statistics)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/net-immigration-in-year-to-june-2020-estimated-to-be-247000-says-office-for-national-statistics/) - Experimental research by the Office for National Statistics said that net immigration to the UK in the year to June 2020 was 247,000. The ONS estimated that 622,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year to mid-2020, while 375,000 emigrated, while the overall population grew by 284,000 to 67.1 million (see ONS bulletin). The figure of
- [Britain Can’t Afford To Fly Blind On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-cant-afford-to-fly-blind-on-immigration/) - In May 2021, the Home Secretary gave a speech on immigration. As well as admonishing a journalist for using ‘language of old’ for asking whether the government would reduce or increase immigration, she made the following promise as part of her immigration plans: “We will be able to count in and count out who is in
- [We Were Right All Along…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-were-right-all-along/) - As you know, we have been raising the alarm about Britain’s overwhelmed and abused asylum system for some time. Well, this week the rest of the media caught up, as it emerged that the cost of asylum to the British tax payer rose by 42% this year to nearly £1.4 Billion. To add to this, there was the news that the government intends to
- [Immigration Is A Top Concern Once Again](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-is-a-top-concern-once-again/) - A new YouGov poll has shown immigration to have sharply risen as a topic of concern among voters. It is now the top concern among Conservatives, while the overall share saying it is a top issue is now 11 points higher than during the peak of illegal Channel crossings last year. It flies in the face of what some commentators would have you believe is happening. High immigration is not only a major worry for the public
- [Record Channel Crossings (again)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/record-channel-crossings-again/) - Another week, another record broken in Channel crossings. If it wasn’t already, this saga is now becoming a farce. (Keep updated with our Channel Tracker). We have jet skis ‘rehearsing’ patrols on the Channel. We have £200 million of your money given to France since 2015 so that they can do what they were supposed to be doing anyway.
- [Turn Back The Boats. Save Lives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/turn-back-the-boats-save-lives/) - September is now yet another record month in Channel crossings. Given massive abuse of the system it is critical that the government does everything possible to prevent illegal maritime crossings. This requires strong and effective enforcement. Stopping the boats will save lives. That’s why our message to the government as their new Nationality and Borders Bill goes through Parliament
- [Enforcement Budget Slashed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/enforcement-budget-slashed/) - This week we issued a paper detailing how, even as the number of illegal entries has shot up, the funding devoted to immigration enforcement has been slashed by tens of millions of pounds. This comes to light as the government tries to pass legislation it claims will deter criminality, tackle absconding and increase the number of removals
- [Government Boosts Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-boosts-immigration/) - The Prime Minister suggested at the Conservative party conference that the era of unskilled mass immigration is over. Resuming his characteristic boosterism the PM insisted that a newly sovereign Britain will no longer allow the economy to use low-skilled labour from foreign countries as a crutch. Really? In fact, despite the ending of free movement (hurrah!) at the
- [British Workers Shunted Again](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-workers-shunted-again/) - The Migration Advisory Committee, which advises the government on immigration policy, recommended that intra-company transfer (ICT) visas lead to settlement and with no English language requirement. It’s yet another sop to big business and multinational conglomerates as well as a kick in the teeth for our young people, especially young IT graduates. What is more, we
- [Surging Migration Strains Our Nhs](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/surging-migration-strains-our-nhs/) - As if to underline the role that mass, uncontrolled immigration has in adding to pressures on the NHS, recent figures from the ONS show that there were nearly seven million new registrations with GP surgeries by migrant patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the past decade (2010-20). This points to the huge additional
- [Control’s Pointless With No Reduction](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/controls-pointless-with-no-reduction/) - There are increasing calls from big business and the immigration lobby for ever more loosening of the visa system despite the already comprehensive weakening of the system with the introduction of the points-based system. Indeed, the Chancellor made a virtue of it in his budget speech on Wednesday. Alleged labour shortages, supply-chain delays and the need
- [Crossings Surge, Arrests Plummet](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/crossings-surge-arrests-plummet/) - We released a new analysis which remarkably showed that – even as illegal arrivals by boat have skyrocketed, with the 2021 total now surpassing the 20,000 mark (as we forecast back in June, see here in The Sun) – there has been a fall in the number of UK arrests of those connected with these deadly and illegal crossings
- [Immigration Data Blind Spots](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-data-blind-spots/) - This week we highlighted yet another instance of the government all but giving up on enforcement of immigration law. A recent paper by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) showed that more than 70,000 migrants who were previously required to report to the immigration authorities have been let off reporting in person over the last eighteen months.
- [Our Border Is Not Secure](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-border-is-not-secure/) - The news that the Liverpool bomber was a rejected asylum seeker prompted some tough questions this week. The Remembrance Day horror, which could have been much worse, is the latest example of the dangers and deadly risks posed by lax and negligent immigration enforcement policies. It is totally irresponsible and only jeopardises the safety of British citizens.
- [Tragic And Avoidable](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tragic-and-avoidable/) - Blog of the week Government has ‘neither the capacity nor the capabilities‘ to stop illegal entries, finds watchdog Preventing unsafe and illegal immigration should be a vital objective of the government. The public expect the UK border to be secured. We pay hundreds of millions in taxes per year for this to happen. However, a devastating report released last
- [We’ve Got Plenty Of Safe Routes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weve-got-plenty-of-safe-routes/) - There have been repeated calls this week for the introduction of ‘safe routes’ for asylum seekers to get to the UK as a way of stemming the growing flow of illegal entrants across the Channel. But there are already many ways to come here. We directly resettled more people in the period since 2015 than any
- [British Borders, British Values](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-borders-british-values/) - Britain is changing rapidly. This year we have released three papers (read them here, here and here) which detail the revolution in our country’s demographics – alongside massive population growth – that was brought about by a deliberate policy of mass immigration in the last twenty years. The crucial fact to remember about this research is that it shows recent rises
- [Does international maritime law forbid turning back the boats?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/does-international-maritime-law-forbid-turning-back-the-boats/) - 1. The Home Secretary has reportedly instructed the Border Force to turn away migrant boats from British waters. The question of whether this is legal often brings in discussion of the interpretation of maritime law. For example, the French government has a divergent interpretation of this compared with the UK, stating that the coastguard is
- [Secure the UK border to save lives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/secure-the-uk-border-to-save-lives/) - Written evidence on the government’s asylum proposals 1. Along with a clear majority of the British public - see point 1(iv) below - we support proposals to deter illegal immigration, prevent asylum abuse and remove obstacles to enforcement. Stopping small boat crossings would save lives. It would deter people from leaving places of refuge on unsafe
- [Spending and staffing: UK immigration and asylum system](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/spending-and-staffing-uk-immigration-and-asylum-system/) - 1. Gross expenditure on the UK’s immigration and asylum system is now costing around £1 billion more than in 2015/16. Total spending on operations for the five departments carrying out these Home Office functions was £3.4 billion in 2020/21 (£1 billion more than just under £2.4 billion gross expenditure in 2015/16). While spending on the UK Visas
- [Resettlement of Afghan citizens to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/resettlement-of-afghan-citizens-to-the-uk/) - Summary 1. The planned resettlement to the UK of between 20,000 and 30,000 Afghan citizens is a major event, comparable in scale to 20,000-30,000 Ugandan Asians taken in by Britain in 1972. (Syrian refugee resettlement since 2011 has been on a similar scale). Estimates of the cost of the Afghan resettlement ranges up to £2.5 billion over
- [Rising cost of benefits for asylum claimants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rising-cost-of-benefits-for-asylum-claimants/) - 1. The number of people in asylum-related accommodation has tripled in the past decade - from 21,000 in 2012 to 64,000 in the year to September 2021. The government has projected the number could rise to as high as 80,000 by Spring 2022 - an estimate that far outstrips the previous expected figure of 70,000 by 2029 (revealed just
- [What Is The Evidence Of Asylum Fraud?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-is-the-evidence-of-asylum-fraud/) - “There are many people abusing the system – I’m not ashamed of saying that., People are desperate for a better life and sometimes they will lie for it.” – Liverpool clergyman Mohammad Eghtedarian, 2016 (see media report). There are ‘thousands [of] abuse abusive [asylum] applications’ each year… [it is] ‘a system that is rife with abuse’: former immigration enforcement chief David Wood, (January
- [Migration Watch Evidence To The Migration Advisory Committee On The Intra-company Transfer Route](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-evidence-to-the-migration-advisory-committee-on-the-intra-company-transfer-route/) - On 13 October 2021, the government’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommendedan expansion to the intra-company transfer visa route for overseas workers (primarily in the IT industry) to come and work ‘temporarily’ at the UK branches of companies (this route has run at 55,000 grants to main applicants and dependants per year between 2011 and 2019). The
- [Health Tourism – Key Points](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/health-tourism-key-points/) - Health tourism drains the NHS of at least £300-400 million each year because hospitals fail to identify overseas patients or never send them bills. The government has estimated that £388 million is spent each year on EEA and non-EEA patients who should be paying for their care but are not identified or charged. This does not include the cost
- [Channel Crossings Are A Scandal But Illegal Entries Via All Routes Are Rising Fast](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/channel-crossings-are-a-scandal-but-illegal-entries-via-all-routes-are-rising-fast/) - Illegal entries via different routes are information provided by the Home Office suggests there have been at least 76,000 people detected illegally entering the UK by different routes, including hiding in the back of vehicles, by small boat and via air arrivals without documentation. The 32,000 who have arrived by small boat since the start of 2018 accounted for
- [How Many Taxpayer-funded Mobile Phones Have Been Given To Illegal Immigrants?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-many-taxpayer-funded-mobile-phones-have-been-given-to-illegal-immigrants/) - Tens of thousands of taxpayer-funded mobile phones are being handed to foreign criminals who are subject to deportation and the rocketing number of people who came here without permission, including those who claimed asylum after entering the UK by dinghy. 14,000 were given out just between January and September this year. However, the total number may be
- [Housing Asylum Claimants In Hotels Costs £70 Million Per Year (or More)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/housing-asylum-claimants-in-hotels-costs-70-million-per-year-or-more/) - As of 28 February 2021, there were approximately 8,700 people accommodated in under 90 different hotels across the UK.This is to be found in correspondencefrom the Home Office to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, dated February 2021. (The Home Office confirmed in September that the figure may have dropped slightly but remains in the same
- [About Half Of Five Million Net Overseas Immigrants Since 2000 Went To London, The South East And East Of England](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/about-half-of-five-million-net-overseas-immigrants-since-2000-went-to-london-the-south-east-and-east-of-england/) - In London and the South East, the housing market and transport infrastructure are under huge strain thanks to crippling overpopulation which is being mostly driven by uncontrolled mass immigration. Now – as our border is breached regularly and promiscuously (with government encouragement) by people traffickers making criminal profits by exploiting irregular migrants on the Continent
- [What Is The Standard Of Proof Required In Asylum Claims?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-is-the-standard-of-proof-required-in-asylum-claims/) - The share of asylum application approvals at the initial (pre-appeal) stage has risen dramatically in the past few years. While 34% of decisions at initial stage were grants in the year to September 2017, 64% of decisions at initial stage were grants of asylum or another form of protection in the year to September 2021 (an
- [We Need A British Bill Of Rights](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-need-a-british-bill-of-rights/) - Commenting, Dr Ben Greening, Executive Director of Migration Watch UK, said: “It is high time for the law to be overhauled and updated for the modern era. It has been far too open to exploitation by those with no right to be in the UK. For example, two thirds of successful appeals against deportation relate to Article
- [Nearly 1,000 Foreign Criminals Disappear – Including Killers, Rapists And Arsonists](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nearly-1000-foreign-criminals-disappear-including-killers-rapists-and-arsonists/) - The latest Home Office figures suggest that the number of foreign criminals who are subject to deportation who are living amongst the UK public has hit 11,000. And now a freedom of information release has shown that the Government has lost more than 900 foreign criminals including murderers, over 50 robbers and almost 40 rapists
- [Many If Not Most Of Those Crossing The Channel Destroy Their Identity Documents](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/many-if-not-most-of-those-crossing-the-channel-destroy-their-identity-documents/) - Deliberate destruction of documentation by tens of thousands crossing the Channel in boats without prior permission must be treated as prima facie evidence of asylum abuse where such persons seek protection (as 98% do). Such actions are already a criminal offence. Yet we increasingly take tens of thousands of people in who we cannot identify – immediately
- [Surging Illegal Boat Crossings Drive Record Spike In Asylum Age Fraud](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/surging-illegal-boat-crossings-drive-record-spike-in-asylum-age-fraud/) - More than 1,100 adults found to have falsely claimed to be children in year to September 2021 (the highest since published records begin in 2006) Where age was disputed and resolved in the past year, 66% were found to be adults (69% in most recent quarter) Number of adults found to be pretending to be
- [Victory!](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/victory/) - Asylum age FRAUD hits record level as illegal arrivals rocket New year, new victory. Over New Year we published a paper showing that the number of adult asylum seekers claiming to be children has been shooting up. Now ministers have issued a statement acknowledging the concerns for child safety that result from uncontrolled and rising asylum applications. Shortcomings in age assessment have resulted in adults (mostly men) claiming to be under-age minors being placed among children in schools and other settings
- [Mass Immigration’s Radical Impact](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-immigrations-radical-impact/) - Promise after promise on immigration betrayed So Britain’s population is on course to shoot past 70 million and a growing share of the surge is expected to be driven by mass immigration. This was stated in new projections by government analysts. These new estimates (see our comment and the ONS projections themselves) suggest that more than five million net migrants will come here by mid-2045. That is addition
- [Stop The Asylum Cover Up](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/stop-the-asylum-cover-up/) - Say NO to the government’s Channel crossings cover-up We are only weeks into the new year and already nearly 1000 people have come to Britain illegally in boats. This is a continuing and growing scandal that is simply not being addressed. There has of course been the usual hype about the military tackling the problem or using countries like Ghana (where all knowledge of discussions with the UK government were denied) or Rwanda for offshore processing. And
- [Asylum abuse by adults claiming to be children](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-abuse-by-adults-claiming-to-be-children/) - Note: See coverage of this paper in the Daily Telegraph, The Times and Daily Mail. Summary 1. The system for checking the age of asylum claimants is so loose that it gives the benefit of the doubt to those saying without proof that they are minors. In the midst of this, there has been a major rise in asylum
- [Fraudulent documents presented to Border Force](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/fraudulent-documents-presented-to-border-force/) - Note: To see the shorter summary of this paper, click here. You can also read coverage of this paper in Metro, Daily Telegraph, The Sun and The Times. 1. A freedom of information release shows that nearly 2,000 fraudulent identity documents are presented to Border Force staff per year (totalling 21,256 between 2010 and 2020)[1] – see Figure 1 below for the trend
- [Illegal clandestine arrivals by lorry](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-clandestine-arrivals-by-lorry/) - 1. The total number of migrants entering the UK clandestinely each year is not known. However, our analysis suggests that there have been at least 320,000 attempts to come to the UK without prior permission from Northern France since 2014. This number does not include attempted but unsuccessful attempts to come via lorry from 2020
- [Asylum Abuse By Adults Pretending To Be Children](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-abuse-by-adults-pretending-to-be-children/) - Summary (for a shorter summary of this paper click here). 1. The system for checking the age of asylum claimants is so loose that it gives the benefit of the doubt to those saying without proof that they are minors. In the midst of this, there has been a major rise in asylum fraud by adults pretending
- [Now Judges Make It Even Harder To Tackle People Smuggling](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/now-judges-make-it-even-harder-to-tackle-people-smuggling/) - A common question from members of the public is: “How many people are convicted of people’s smuggling in the UK?” There is no specific criminal offence of “people smuggling” on the UK statute books, but the Home Office holds information on the number of charges and convictions as a result of action by Immigration Enforcement
- [The Fact That We Lost Control Of Asylum Numbers 20 Years Ago Is No Good Reason For Repeating The Experience](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-fact-that-we-lost-control-of-asylum-numbers-20-years-ago-is-no-good-reason-for-repeating-the-experience/) - Asylum claims are running at 44,000 per year when main applicants and dependants are considered (year to September 2021 – Home Office data). Former senior diplomat Lord Kerr of of Kinlochard claims that asylum claims are at half the level of 20 years ago (Lords Hansard 25 Nov 2021 Col 1083-4). While technically accurate, the
- [Illegal Channel Crisis – 3 Key Facts To Remember](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-channel-crisis-3-key-facts-to-remember/) - Here are three key facts to remember about the illegal immigration crisis in the Channel, which has seen over 28,400 people come in the past year, and a total of 40,000 since 2018. 1. Many people crossing the Channel destroy their identity documents. This risks security and calls into question the good faith in which asylum claims
- [Tens Of Thousands Of False Identity Documents Presented To Border Force](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tens-of-thousands-of-false-identity-documents-presented-to-border-force/) - A freedom of information release shows that nearly 2,000 fraudulent identity documents are presented to Border Force staff per year (totaling 21,256 between 2010 to 2020). The number recorded in 2019 was the 4th highest for the period (after a 2014-2016 peak) with 2,134 such documents presented before a notable drop as air arrivals plummeted during the pandemic.
- [Fraudulent Documents Presented To Border Force](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/fraudulent-documents-presented-to-border-force-2/) - Note: To see the shorter summary of this paper, click here. You can also read coverage of this paper in Metro, Daily Telegraph, The Sunand The Times. 1. A freedom of information release shows that nearly 2,000 fraudulent identity documents are presented to Border Force staff per year (totaling 21,256 between 2010 and 2020)[i] – see Figure 1 below. The number in 2019
- [Speech By Lord Green, President Of Migration Watch, During 2nd Reading Of Nationality And Borders Bill In The House Of Lords](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/speech-by-lord-green-president-of-migration-watch-during-2nd-reading-of-nationality-and-borders-bill-in-the-house-of-lords/) - Below is the transcript from the speech by Lord Green of Deddington, President of Migration Watch UK, in the House of Lords yesterday during the 2nd reading of the Nationality and Borders Bill. https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2022-01-05/debates/5565C246-FDC7-4A38-86E8-52825DE21125/NationalityAndBordersBillLord Green of Deddington My Lords I declare a non-financial interest as president of Migration Watch. Your Lordships will be aware that this
- [Prime Minister Being Economical With The Truth When He Says Net Migration Has Gone Down Since We Took Back Control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime-minister-being-economical-with-the-truth-when-he-says-net-migration-has-gone-down-since-we-took-back-control/) - On Wednesday 5 January 2022, the Prime Minister told Parliament that ‘net immigration since we took back control has gone down’ (see video). This is being economical with the truth to put it mildly. In fact, it is deeply misleading. No official net migration figures have yet been published for the period since December 31 2020 (when the
- [London Becomes The Most Congested City On The Planet](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/london-becomes-the-most-congested-city-on-the-planet/) - A report from analyst Inrix revealed how bad things have got. London has become the most congested city in the world, with its drivers losing an average of 148 hours sitting in traffic each year. Next up in Britain are Cambridge (with 75 hours), Bristol, Exeter and Cheltenham (see media report). Given our uncontrolled borders, it’s no
- [Population Replacement: Government Body Says 12 Million Immigrants Expected Over Next Twenty Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/population-replacement-government-body-says-12-million-immigrants-expected-over-next-twenty-years/) - Between four and five million net migrants are set to the come to and remain in the UK by 2041, according to speculative, interim projections by the Office for National Statistics. This calculation is made up of 12 million immigrants projected to come and 7 million projected to leave. Meanwhile, natural UK population change is
- [Illegal Arrivals Shot Up. So Government Cut Enforcement Staff While Funneling Your Money Towards Re-education Sessions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-arrivals-shot-up-so-government-cut-enforcement-staff-while-funneling-your-money-towards-re-education-sessions/) - Detected illegal arrivals have shot up from 13,500 in 2018 to close to 40,000 in 2021. So what has been the government’s response? New Home Office figures reveal they have cut the number of immigration enforcement staff by more than 400 in the past five years (see graph below and the statistics here). Although it could
- [Government Plans Cover Up Of Daily Channel Crossing Total](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-plans-cover-up-of-daily-channel-crossing-total/) - The Home Office is reported to be preparing to ditch the publication of daily figures showing the number of migrants crossing the Channel – prompting accusations that ministers are trying to bury bad news (see media report). Please sign our petitionto object to this move and also write to your MP (click here). The department is set to
- [Taxpayer Funds Government Ineptitude As £1.7 Billion Per Year Spent On Putting Up Migrants In Hotels](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/taxpayer-funds-government-ineptitude-as-1-7-billion-per-year-spent-on-putting-up-migrants-in-hotels/) - Another week, another bombshell. The Home Office revealed to a Committee of MPs that it is is spending £4.7 million per day putting up 37,000 Channel migrants and other asylum seekers in hotels (that’s more than £1.7 billion per year!). The news was released as the government planned to build a network of reception centers to house tens
- [Shameful Government Inaction Following Bomber’s Asylum Deception](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/shameful-government-inaction-following-bombers-asylum-deception/) - The case of the Liverpool bomber Emad Jamil Al-Swealmeen – who blew himself up outside a women’s hospital on Remembrance Sunday in 2021 – highlights the depths of dangerous chaos and abuse into which our asylum system has sunk. This bedlam is now of such an extent that it poses a threat to the lives of Britons.
- [The Idea That The Government Is Delivering On Tackling Illegal Immigration Is Laughable](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-idea-that-the-government-is-delivering-on-tackling-illegal-immigration-is-laughable/) - While announcing a welcome new returns agreement with Serbia, the Home Secretary, the government claimsthat it is ‘delivering on its promise to tackle illegal immigration and the harm it causes‘. Yet illegal boat crossings are six times as high as this point last year (with over 40,000 entering since end of 2017) point while lorry entries continue
- [Bringing In The Military On The Channel Is A Red Herring](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bringing-in-the-military-on-the-channel-is-a-red-herring/) - A former naval commander recently told MPs that the Royal Navy’s worldwide reputation could be seriously damaged by becoming a taxi service for migrants across the Channel (see media report). He is correct. The handover to the Navy that was touted as being part of the insultingly-named ‘Operation Red Meat’ to try and save Boris Johnson’s
- [Britain Not Obliged To Take In Europe’s Failed Asylum Claimants: Parliamentary Committee](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-not-obliged-to-take-in-europes-failed-asylum-claimants-parliamentary-committee/) - It’s a rare concession to truth and reality by politicians but why won’t those in power do more to stop the UK from being a magnet for rejected asylum applicants from all over the Continent? The fact that we are sucking in failed claimants from all over Europe (like a great ‘whirlpool of wokeness’) is tied with
- [Sign This Petition – We Must Have Transparency From The Home Office On Channel Boat Arrivals](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/sign-this-petition-we-must-have-transparency-from-the-home-office-on-channel-boat-arrivals/) - Without transparency, democracy is impossible. Officials must not be able to get away with hiding the truth. Migration Watch UK has launched a petitionto tell the government that it must not cover up the daily arrival totals of people coming to the UK via the English Channel in boats. Instead it should continue to publish daily arrival totals,
- [360,000 Have Come Here Via Direct Resettlement Routes Since 2005](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/360000-have-come-here-via-direct-resettlement-routes-since-2005/) - On 15 June 2022, the Home Secretary statedin Parliament on 15 June: ‘Over 200,000 people have used safe and legal routes to come to the UK since 2015.’ Our fact-check finds that this is true. Not including refugee family reunion (2016-22), the number of people directly resettled to the UK was 267,000. If refugee family reunion is
- [Has The Channel Boat Cover Up Already Begun?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/has-the-channel-boat-cover-up-already-begun/) - The government has failed to inform the public about whether there have been any illegal Channel crossings in boats for two whole weeks – since 26 January (see our Channel Tracking Station, sign the petitionto express concern about the boat cover up and write to your MP to say no here). From 26 January to 9 February last year 129 people reportedly
- [Covering Up Daily Boat Arrivals Is To Aid Transparency, Says Member Of Parliament](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/covering-up-daily-boat-arrivals-is-to-aid-transparency-says-member-of-parliament/) - The government is censoring your right to know the truth. Never before have such frightened politicians resorted to such desperate, obvious means to hide their own failure from the people who voted them into office and who pay their salaries. As the increasingly hard-pressed public (burdened with rising energy costs and back-breaking inflation) forks out
- [We Don’t Have The Infrastructure, Admits Home Secretary. Government Opens Borders And Communities Get Overwhelmed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-dont-have-the-infrastructure-admits-home-secretary-government-opens-borders-and-communities-get-overwhelmed/) - In October 2021, while giving evidence to a House of Lords Committee regarding the government’s pledge to open up the UK to tens of thousands from Afghanistan, the Home Secretary made the following key admission: “We simply do not have the infrastructure or the accommodation” (Q2, p.3 of testimony to House of Lords committee, October 2021). This comes
- [Migration Watch Co-founder Lord Green Leads Fightback Against Open Borders In Parliament](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-co-founder-lord-green-leads-fightback-against-open-borders-in-parliament/) - “Our asylum system is in chaos, and very visibly so,” said Migration Watch UK President and Co-Founder Lord Green of Deddington in Parliament. “Large numbers of claimants are turning up on our beaches.” This week Lord Green spoke up in the House of Lords for more than 30 million Britons who are fed up with our
- [Illegal Clandestine Arrivals By Lorry](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-clandestine-arrivals-by-lorry-2/) - 1. The total number of migrants entering the UK clandestinely each year is not known. However, our analysis suggests that there have been at least 320,000 attempts to come to the UK without prior permission from Northern France since 2014. This number does not include attempted but unsuccessful attempts to come via lorry from 2020
- [Taxpayers Have To Cough Up Nearly £2 Billion Per Year On Hotel Rooms For Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/taxpayers-have-to-cough-up-nearly-2-billion-per-year-on-hotel-rooms-for-migrants/) - Taxpayers being forced to fork out approaching two billion per year on hotel rooms for migrants including thousands of illegal arrivals. The cost is about a £1 billion per year for 25,000 asylum claimants (including boat crossers). Another half a billion is being spent housing 12,000 Afghan refugees in hotels Nearly £2 billion per year
- [98% Of Channel Boat Migrants Have No Passport](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/98-of-channel-boat-migrants-have-no-passport/) - Just 2% of the thousands who have made their way to the UK illegally in small boats via the English Channel were found to be in possession of a passport at the time of being processed in the UK. The finding emerged in the wake of official data being published in a Home Office freedom of
- [Visa Figures Indicate Big Rise In Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/visa-figures-indicate-big-rise-in-immigration/) - The first visa statisticsfor the full year of 2021 were published by the Home Office on 24 February 2021. As suspected there was a large rise in all categories, and a rocketing share of asylum grants, alongside plummeting asylum refusals, falling removals and diminished use of detention to keep the public safe (the latter since pre-pandemic).
- [Asylum Fraud Endangers You](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-fraud-endangers-you/) - Government failed to act in wake of Liverpool bomber’s asylum lies Watching our politicians make a royal shambles out of our border control is like watching one of those old Whitehall farces with people coming in and out all over the stage. Except, in this case, it is the revolving door that is our border. Last
- [Democracy Dies In Darkness](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/democracy-dies-in-darkness/) - Democracy is impossible without transparency.Please sign and share this petition calling on the government to drop its plan to hide daily arrival totals of people coming here illegally in boats. The numbers have skyrocketed since 2018 and the government must be held accountable. For nearly two years, we’ve informed the public about the figures via our Channel Tracking
- [Mps Suggest Channel Cover Up Aids ‘transparency’](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mps-suggest-channel-cover-up-aids-transparency/) - They’re terrified that you will see the truth… Otherwise, why would the government try to cover up daily illegal crossing data? Join thousands of others by signing and sharing our petition. Let’s send a clear message: “We won’t accept this bid to hide the truth on daily boat arrivals.” Our unique Channel Tracker has them scared of being held to
- [Entry By Lorry In The Tens Of Thousands](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/entry-by-lorry-in-the-tens-of-thousands/) - Illegal lorry route safety threat as boat crossings surge This week, there was good coverage of our paper showing that, even as illegal boat crossings on the Channel have surged, well over 30,000 people have entered the UK hidden in the back of lorries or in containers since 2018. When those crossing in boats are included, the
- [98% Of Boat Migrants Have No Passport](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/98-of-boat-migrants-have-no-passport/) - Nearly every boat migrant arrives in the UK without a passport As covered by the national press, we published an analysis – based on a freedom of information release – with the bombshell finding that 98% of boat migrants have no passport when they arrive in the UK. The absence of a passport of course means it is all
- [Don’t Throw Away The Immigration Rule Book](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/dont-throw-away-the-immigration-rule-book/) - Once again, Britain’s place as a global leader in humanitarianism is needed, and here at Migration Watch UK we totally support the government’s efforts to offer safety and refuge to those displaced by the monstrous invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin. Pointing to the impact that the arrival of large numbers have on local communities in
- [Help Those Fleeing War. Stop The Scammers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/help-those-fleeing-war-stop-the-scammers/) - With the ongoing crisis in Ukraine the government has come under fire for its slow reaction on allowing in refugees from the region. Meanwhile scammers pay people smugglers to cross the Channel into Britain with impunity. Please see our latest video which addresses the muddled priorities that have led to this situation in Britain. We published a paper this week highlighting newly-released official statistics – published
- [Ukraine Response Marred By Asylum Abuse](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ukraine-response-marred-by-asylum-abuse/) - The government has been criticised for being slow to react to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. But, in our view, while the response may have been cautious, it has also been appropriately generous. Accusing the UK of taking in fewer refugees than countries bordering Ukraine (as the former Danish PM did on BBC Question Time last
- [Good News And Bad News](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/good-news-and-bad-news/) - Britain set for rise in illegal boat crossings This month we have already seen three times as many people cross the Channel on boats as we did last year (as always, for updates see our Channel Tracking Station). Given that 2021 was a record year for this dangerous route, it does not bode well for the rest
- [3,000 Crossed The Channel In March](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/3000-crossed-the-channel-in-march/) - More than 3,000 cross in boats in March – worst month so far in 2022 March has seen at least 3,065 people cross the Channel, the fourth highest number ever. In all, 4,555 have crossed so far in small boats in 2022, or almost four times the number that came in the first three, record-breaking months
- [We Need To Send Them Back](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-need-to-send-them-back/) - Send the rule-breakers back The quest for control of our borders struggled on this week, with reports of government plans to send to Rwanda for ‘offshore’ processing those coming without permission across the English Channel in small boats. Meanwhile parliament descended into what is quaintly known as “ping pong” between the Commons and the Lords. In fact, it is a euphemism
- [Rwanda Plans Could Save Lives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rwanda-plans-could-save-lives/) - Rwanda deal could help stop the boats and save lives This week the government announced plans to introduce offshore processing for some of those (essentially young working-age men) who enter Britain seeking asylum without prior permission. A deal making this possible has been agreed with Rwanda and signed by the Home Secretary. Priti Patel and Boris Johnson are doubtless under
- [They Just Don’t Get It…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/they-just-dont-get-it/) - Out-of-touch political class and border control Despite Boris Johnson promising the British public that he would honour the Brexit vote by delivering firmer borders and lower inflows at the last election, the post-Brexit immigration changes have driven a huge rise in immigration from outside the EU – with nearly a million people coming either on
- [Is This Really Control?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-this-really-control/) - Boris Johnson’s election promise to reduce immigration was a sham The penny is finally dropping. As we have been saying since the (Australian) points-based system (PBS) was first mooted ahead of the Brexit vote and later sold to the public in the 2019 election campaign – a loose PBS, Australian in name only, would lead to
- [Tough Borders Need Backbone](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tough-borders-need-backbone/) - Does the government have the backbone to deliver on the Rwanda deal? Our latest analysis of the government’s Rwanda asylum deal (see summary) concludes that the policy has the potential to send a powerful message to the vile traffickers. Flying illegal immigrants coming from a safe country to Rwanda will discourage would-be migrants from taking the small boat route
- [Student immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/student-immigration-to-the-uk/) - Key points In March 2019, the government set a target to have 600,000 students enrolled in UK higher education (HE) by 2030[1] - a 30% increase on 2017/18. This target had already been reached by 2020/21 (Higher Education Statistics Agency, or HESA)[2]. A record 440,000 study visa were granted in year to March 2022 (Home Office)[3].
- [Small boat arrivals in possession of a passport](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/small-boat-arrivals-in-possession-of-a-passport/) - 1. Just 2% of the thousands who have made their way to the UK illegally in small boats via the English Channel since 2018 were recorded as being in possession of a passport. 2. New freedom of information data released by the Home Office showed that just 317 people were recorded as being in possession of a
- [Gender and age of illegal boat crossers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/gender-and-age-of-illegal-boat-crossers/) - 1. Over 41,300 people have come to the UK illicitly in boats since the start of 2018. 16,500 of these came in the period January 2018 and to the end of June 2021.[1] Data from a Freedom of Information release show that nearly 90% of those crossing during this period were male.[2] 2. 87.4% of the 16,500 people
- [Potential impact of asylum arrangements with Rwanda](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/potential-impact-of-asylum-arrangements-with-rwanda/) - Summary 1. More than 75,600 people have reportedly arrived without prior permission by boat and lorry since 1 January 2018. Entries by boat in 2022 so far are triple the number reported by this point in 2021.[1] The UK has now agreed asylum arrangements with Rwanda which mean that those making unauthorised journeys who then try
- [Non-UK entry grants under the post-Brexit immigration system](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/non-uk-entry-grants-under-the-post-brexit-immigration-system/) - Summary 1. The government promised that its post-Brexit immigration system would reduce overall immigration levels and deliver ‘firmer’ border control. Yet the opposite has happened, as we show below with analysis of Home Office (HO) data. In 2021, there were over 800,000 longer-term entry grants to non-UK nationals for work, study, family and resettlement. Meanwhile, illegal arrivals have tripled since 2018.
- [Government Admits Illegal Immigration Nearly Tripled In Four Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-admits-illegal-immigration-nearly-tripled-in-four-years/) - For months we’ve been keeping track of reported illegal entries with our Channel Tracking Station. Now these figures have been essentially echoed by the Home Office after it released its first ever statistics detailing irregular migration to the UK– this bulletin covering the full year 2021. On boats, they confirmed the numbers in our tracking station (in
- [Helping Ukrainians Fleeing The Russian Invasion](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/helping-ukrainians-fleeing-the-russian-invasion/) - 1. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, on 24 February 2022 has led to Europe’s fastest growing refugee crisis since the Second World War – with 2.5 million people now having fled the country. Poland has taken in more than 1.2 million refugees, Hungary over 190,000 refugees, Germany over 50,000 refugees, Italy over 7,000 refugees and
- [What Happened To Immigration During The Pandemic?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-happened-to-immigration-during-the-pandemic/) - Summary: Immigration reached a near-record level of 313,000 in early 2020 but then fell in the midst of travel restrictions occasioned by the Covid pandemic in late 2020 and early 2021. However, visa and National Insurance Number data suggest that immigration, especially from outside the EU, fell by less than immigration from the EU, and
- [Permanent Settlement: By Which Routes Did Those From Outside The European Union Come Here?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/permanent-settlement-by-which-routes-did-those-from-outside-the-european-union-come-here/) - Summary Our analysis below looks at the original pathways into the UK for the 1.5 million non-EU migrants who have permanently settled in the UK since 2009. It finds, in parallel with the Migration Advisory Committee, that the route allowing the immigration of the relatives of people who are already in the UK has been
- [How Mass, Uncontrolled Immigration Threatens Your Quality Of Life](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-mass-uncontrolled-immigration-threatens-your-quality-of-life/) - The government clearly pledged to get control of immigration and reduce levels. But the opposite is happening. Uncapped and unmanageable routes into the UK are opened regularly, and the chaos in the English Channel means boats with thousands of uninvited guests arriving more and more frequently (See Tracking Station). Ongoing mass immigration, and uncontrolled borders, threaten to
- [Children Threatened With Drowning: Lawless Reality Challenges Woke Narrative On Boats](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/children-threatened-with-drowning-lawless-reality-challenges-woke-narrative-on-boats/) - The Government has pledged action after finally confirming alarming incidents in which babies and children are threatened with drowning in the English Channel. A minister in the House of Lords told fellow peers who migrants were seen ‘dangling children over the side of a boat and threatening to drop them into the Channel; dousing themselves in
- [Popular Plan To Send Illegal Arrivals To Rwanda Would Stop Profits Going To Criminal Smugglers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/popular-plan-to-send-illegal-arrivals-to-rwanda-would-stop-profits-going-to-criminal-smugglers/) - Voters back the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda by two to one, a poll reveals. And even Labour voters are more likely to support the idea than oppose it. Some 47 per cent of all voters say they support the scheme, while just 26 per cent are against – with the rest
- [Nearly 7 Million New Registrations By Migrants With General Practitioners Since 2010](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nearly-7-million-new-registrations-by-migrants-with-general-practitioners-since-2010/) - General practice in England alone provides over 300 million patient consultations each year. But what pressure does the uncontrolled, mass immigration that we have now put on the NHS? Analysis of statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics (based upon data from NHS Digital) show that there have been about seven million registrations by migrants with
- [We Need Transparency On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-need-transparency-on-immigration/) - 73% of the public now say the government is handling the issue of immigration badly (YouGovMay 2022). The public know both that immigration is skyrocketing (breaching a clear promise by the government to reduce and control it) and that they are not being given a clear picture of what is happening on the issue. The
- [Analysis Of Home Office Immigration And Visa Statistics Release For Year To March 2022](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/analysis-of-home-office-immigration-and-visa-statistics-release-for-year-to-march-2022/) - Work visas: 277,000 (50% higher than pre-pandemic) Sponsored-study visas: 466,000 (58% more than pre-pandemic) Family visas and permits: 301,830 (63% more than pre-pandemic) Asylum claims: 55,146 (56% more than pre-pandemic). The new visa statisticssuggest that about a million people were granted entry to live in the UK in the twelve months leading up to March 2022. This may
- [Number Of Relatives Accompanying Other Migrants Nearly Triples To 200,000+ In A Year](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/number-of-relatives-accompanying-other-migrants-nearly-triples-to-200000-in-a-year/) - There were more than 300,000 grants of family visas and permits in the past year (a huge rise of 116,000 compared with the total seen just before the pandemic). Within this, the latest immigration figuresfrom the Home Office suggest a large rise in chain immigration to the UK, with the number of people coming as dependants of those
- [Government Punishes British Graduates With More Immigration Even After Border Control Betrayal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-punishes-british-graduates-with-more-immigration-even-after-border-control-betrayal/) - Days after statistics showedthat the government handed out a million visa entry grants to overseas nationals to come to the UK in the past year, the government has put in place a new visa which would increase immigration further. This new route (the so-called ‘High Potential Individual’ visa) would allow graduates of universities around the world
- [Rwanda Deal Means Refugees Coming To Britain From Africa, Government Admits](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rwanda-deal-means-refugees-coming-to-britain-from-africa-government-admits/) - The government have said that the asylum deal with Rwanda will lead to a ‘small number of the most vulnerable refugees in Rwanda will be resettled in the UK‘ but have not yet provided any more detail about how many people this will involve. A little-noted clause in the Rwanda agreement commits the UK to resettling an
- [Quick Facts On Illegal Boat Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/quick-facts-on-illegal-boat-crossings/) - 1. The number of boat arrivals since 1 January 2018 has now passed 50,000 and crossings are now double what they were compared with last year (which was an all-time record). Source: See our Boat Tracking Stationwhich has been recording the numbers for the past two years, based upon bulletins by the Ministry of Defence / Home
- [This False Claim Drove The Government To Vastly Weaken Study Visa Rules, With Shocking Results](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/this-false-claim-drove-the-government-to-vastly-weaken-study-visa-rules-with-shocking-results/) - SUMMARY: Basing policy decisions on fake news can have far-reaching and damaging consequences. It has been widely claimed by government and throughout the media that 97% of overseas students depart after graduating. This is completely misleading. Four in ten overseas students (130,000 people in 2018/19) either extend their permission to remain in the country or are
- [Border Promises Must Be Kept](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/border-promises-must-be-kept/) - Lots of words on immigration once again this week from the government in the Queen’s Speech. We heard how Her Majesty’s Government was going to fulfil the will of the people and put an end to illegal crossings on the Channel. As Brenda from Bristol might say, “what, again?”. As we said, the government’s litany of broken promises and track
- [The Verdict Is In… The Government Has Not Reduced Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-verdict-is-in-the-government-has-not-reduced-immigration/) - The verdict is in. The Government’s promise to ‘take back control’ and reduce mass immigration has not only failed, it it has been seen for the con it was from the outset. Our new paper on the first year of visa grants after the opening of the post-Brexit visa system shows that non-EU entry grants for foreign
- [Get The Facts On Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/get-the-facts-on-immigration/) - We are seeing record numbers of mass immigration A record MILLION entry grants in a year. Get the facts here Newly-released Home Office statistics reveal that around a million people were granted long term UK visas in the year to March 2022. While we and much of the world endured lockdowns and travel was a fraction of its
- [The Border Deception Explodes](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-border-deception-explodes/) - They cannot gaslight us any longer Challenge the post-Brexit gaslighting Just when you thought this government couldn’t loosen our beleaguered borders any further (with a record million entry grants handed out in the past year or so – see here) the news broke this week that British graduates are being further punished with yet another loose immigration route
- [The Open Borders Brigade Strike Again](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-open-borders-brigade-strike-again/) - We must not let them thwart the Rwanda scheme Activist lawyers make their move Predictably, and only weeks after the Home Secretary announced plans to send illegal Channel-crossers to Rwanda for processing of their claims, the open borders industry, including activist lawyers, NGOs and a civil service union, have kicked into action. It was reported this week that
- [50,000 Channel Crossers Since 2018](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/50000-channel-crossers-since-2018/) - And remote judges cancel Rwanda flight Rwanda flight stopped dead by ECHR as boat arrivals top 50,000 No sooner had the court in Strasbourg blocked the first flight carrying illegal Channel crossers to Rwanda than we learned that boat arrivals into Kent had topped an astonishing 50,000 since 2018 (see our Tracker). What a disgraceful decision
- [Should We Leave The Echr?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/should-we-leave-the-echr/) - If it means better border control, perhaps so… If we need to pull the plug on the ECHR to restore immigration and border control, so be it. After the shameful failure of the first attempted Rwanda flight, the government has tabled new legislation to replace the Human Rights Act but wants the UK to remain within
- [Wow! The Numbers Are Staggering…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/wow-the-numbers-are-staggering/) - The UK’s population soared by 3.5 million in a decade Earlier this week the first results from the 2021 census were published. Our initial reaction was, wow! (See our summary and press comment). The numbers really were astonishing. The population of England and Wales rose by a staggering 3.5 million between 2011 and 2021, that’s a 6.6% rise
- [Backbone Not Headlines](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/backbone-not-headlines/) - Good intentions are not enough to control borders Only backbone and political will can fix our borders Well, what a week, and it’s not over yet. Lurking in the midst of the political soap opera there were two stories that in different circumstances might have attracted a little more attention. The government is at least
- [Not A Peep On Mass Immigration…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/not-a-peep-on-mass-immigration/) - Why the radio silence on this critical issue? Why are they avoiding the topic of mass immigration? Have you noticed the almost total radio silence on immigration from all of the Tory leadership candidates? Sure, we have heard a great deal about Rwanda, the Channel crisis and vague promises to leave the European Convention of
- [We Can’t Be Ignored Anymore…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-cant-be-ignored-anymore/) - We won’t let them keep dodging the issue Leaders can’t avoid voters on immigration any longer Kemi Badenoch might have been knocked out of the Conservative party leadership race this week, but MPs would do well to take note of her popularity among the grass roots membership, not least because of her frankness about the
- [Brits Want Immigration Reduced](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/brits-want-immigration-reduced/) - The message is clear, but still ignored… TruNak may not want to debate immigration but the voters do and are saying, ‘Reduce it, now!” The crystal clear message of the new polling we commissioned is that the vast majority of British voters want to see a reduction in immigration. While the remaining two Conservative party leadership candidates get quizzed
- [Student immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/student-immigration-to-the-uk-2/) - Key points In March 2019, the government set a target to have 600,000 students enrolled in UK higher education (HE) by 2030[1] - a 30% increase on 2017/18. This target had already been reached by 2020/21 (Higher Education Statistics Agency, or HESA)[2]. A record 440,000 study visa were granted in year to March 2022 (Home Office)[3].
- [Census Confirms Huge Population Growth In Overcrowded England And Wales](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/census-confirms-huge-population-growth-in-overcrowded-england-and-wales/) - Some of the first results to be published from Census 2021 show that the population of England and Wales grew from 56 million to 59.5 million, or by 3.5 million between 2011 and 2021 – that’s a rise of 350,000 per year. See the full ONS bulletin here and the full data here. The growth rate is considerably
- [Deportation Of Murderers Plummets In Midst Of Flurry Of Human Rights Challenges](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/deportation-of-murderers-plummets-in-midst-of-flurry-of-human-rights-challenges/) - Collapsing enforcement and the present border chaos threatens the safety of families in the UK. This is because, in the midst of huge abuse of human rights law, removals of high harm individuals have plummeted. New government statistics show that enforced removals of the highest harm immigration offenders and foreign criminals have fallen from 2,200
- [Conservative Voters Strongly Favour Reducing Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/conservative-voters-strongly-favour-reducing-immigration/) - New polling conducted by Migration Watch UK demonstrates significant public support for reducing immigration into Britain. Despite claims in recent years that after Brexit the British public are now softer on immigration and its impact, the new Deltapoll findings illustrate serious concern among voters about the handling of immigration by the government. The polling shows
- [Open Letter To Conservative Leadership Candidates](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/open-letter-to-conservative-leadership-candidates/) - Below is the text of an open letter sent to both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, highlighting the support for reducing overall immigration among the British public-as revealed by our recent polling data. The Right Hon Elizabeth Truss MP The Right Hon Rishi Sunak MP 26 July 2022 Dear Ms Truss/Mr Sunak Migration Watch UK has
- [All-time High Immigration: Record 1.1 Million Entry Grants To Live In The Uk](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/all-time-high-immigration-record-1-1-million-entry-grants-to-live-in-the-uk/) - The Home Office released visa, asylum and immigration statisticspertaining to the year to June 2022. These reveal a large increase in immigration since before the pandemic, with an astonishing 1.1 million visas granted for people to come and live in the UK (a rise of more than half a million when compared with the year to June 2019 –
- [Overwhelmed, Abused Asylum System Costs You £2 Billion In Taxes As Illegal Boats Mount](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/overwhelmed-abused-asylum-system-costs-you-2-billion-in-taxes-as-illegal-boats-mount/) - New statistics released by the Home Officereveal just how costly, overwhelmed and abused our asylum system has become as illegal boat crossings have skyrocketed. More than 60,000 have arrived illegally by boat since January 2018 and almost all claim asylum. Here are some takeaways: We now have the highest number of asylum claims in 20 years
- [Number Of People Per Illegal Boat Has Shot Up Five-fold Over Past Five Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/number-of-people-per-illegal-boat-has-shot-up-five-fold-over-past-five-years/) - As the government has prevaricated and revealed its impotence on tackling boat arrivals, more than 2,500 boats have breached our borders. And new figures reveal that the average number of people per boat has risen five-fold since 2018, from an average of 7 people per boat in 2018 to just under 40 in 2022 so far. Figure
- [Irregular Immigration Behind The Broken Asylum System](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/irregular-immigration-behind-the-broken-asylum-system/) - The latest irregular migration statistics released on 25th August for the year ending June 2022 revealed the extent to which irregular (what used to be termed illegal) migration, feeds the broken asylum system, since nearly all those entering this way claim asylum. Leading the clear abuse are those crossing the English Channel illegally via small boats or by
- [Our Borders Are Shot To Pieces](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-borders-are-shot-to-pieces/) - The Channel crisis is a national disgrace How much more abuse and exploitation of our laws can we take? You will no doubt have noted the record numbers who crossed the Channel illegally again this week. On Monday alone nearly 700 (that we are aware of) reached Britain on small boats and July saw a record month
- [20 Years And Still Fighting..](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/20-years-and-still-fighting/) - The battle for border control continues We won’t let elites dodge the mass immigration crisis As the followers of Migration Watch know, we have been campaigning for effective border control and sustainable immigration levels for over twenty years. Our reputation, built on rigorous research, careful analysis of migration trends and accurate projections, is unique. We have
- [Elites Must Make A Choice…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/elites-must-make-a-choice/) - Reduce ALL immigration or lose power Message to our next PM, reduce immigration or lose power Once again, the headlines this week have been filled with the ever-worsening scandal that is the crisis on the English Channel. We have already reached well over 4,000 crossings for August alone – the highest monthly total this year
- [You Are Picking Up The Tab…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/you-are-picking-up-the-tab/) - Border failures are costing billions Immigration is out of control and you’re paying for it You will have no doubt seen the headlines about the daily record for illegal Channel crossings being smashed this week, with a new high of 1,295 people coming in small boats on Monday alone. There were hundreds more as the week went
- [Open-door Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/open-door-immigration/) - This is not what you voted for… BRITAIN NOW HAS OPEN-DOOR IMMIGRATION We were told we would be ‘taking back control’; what a whopper that turned out to be. While members of Boris Johnson’s government and Mr Johnson himself have repeatedly boasted of having taken back control of our borders and immigration, we at Migration
- [It’s Costing You Billions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/its-costing-you-billions/) - Asylum hotel bills are rocketing Illegal immigration matters. Ultimately, it is the UK taxpayer who has to foot the bill for accommodation (including hotel) costs for more than 25,000 asylum claimants. Our analysis of new data from the Home Office suggests a cost of just under £1.3 billion per year (see our full research paper here and our
- [Another Border Control Ruse…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/another-border-control-ruse/) - We must end the mass immigration addiction SACRIFICING COHESION FOR THE DEMANDS OF BIG BUSINESS New government, same old immigration ruse. We learned over the weekend that the Prime Minister wants use immigration as a means of boosting the economy. Her liberal economic instincts have prompted her into going along with calls from big business and state bodies
- [Is This The Home Secretary We Always Wanted?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-this-the-home-secretary-we-always-wanted/) - We welcome Mrs Braverman’s plans A Braverman Bravura Could it be that we finally have a Home Secretary that actually means business on immigration? In her speech to the Conservative Party Conference, Suella Braverman made the sort of clear and unequivocal commitment to reducing immigration that we have been urging on Home Secretaries for years. Mrs Braverman made clear
- [We’ve Got Safe Routes A Plenty…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weve-got-safe-routes-a-plenty/) - Our new research debunks bogus claims ‘No safe routes’ claim DEBUNKED!! You will no doubt have heard the bogus claim—echoed by none other than French President Emmanuel Macron—that Britain has ‘no safe routes’ for refugees fleeing to the UK from persecution and war. The implication being, of course, that the only reason thousands every month
- [What Now For Border Control?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-now-for-border-control/) - An electoral reckoning is nigh… So what now for immigration and border control? Farce? Chaos? Shambles? All of that, and more.To say that what we have witnessed in our politics over the past 48 hours has been jaw-dropping is to understate the goings-on.The fuse was lit for the denouement of this chapter of the unfolding
- [This Is Why They Hate Suella…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/this-is-why-they-hate-suella/) - The PM must stand by the Home Secretary The new PM must back his Home Secretary and cut immigration, NOW Firstly, we heartily congratulate Rishi Sunak on becoming our Prime Minister. We wish him well and every success, for all our sakes. The reappointment of Suella Braverman to Home Secretary is a positive we can take
- [The Numbers Are Astonishing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-numbers-are-astonishing/) - Our country has changed Massive changes to Britain from lax migration policies The sheer scale of immigration in the last two decades and the rapid and lasting changes brought about by overly loose border policies was laid bare this week with the publication of data for the 2021 census. The new figures show that the non-UK born
- [The Channel Must Be Sorted Out](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-channel-must-be-sorted-out/) - British voters on’t stand for lax enforcement The Channel crisis must be solved, now! As the number of those arriving here illegally is set to surge once again on the English Channel, politicians are beginning to wake up to the fact that the obvious chaos and absence of control is going down badly with the voters. Even Labour
- [£220 Million And They Keep Coming…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/220-million-and-they-keep-coming/) - Money won’t solve the Channel crisis This week, another £63 million promised to France as the Channel crisis got worse, followed by some decidedly dodgy figures in the autumn statement On Monday came the news that the Home Secretary signed a new agreement to give France a further £63 million in return for more French
- [Damagingly High Migration Levels](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/damagingly-high-migration-levels/) - The new ONS data is breathtaking Net migration figures are a hammer-blow. Do any of our politicians have the will and courage to fix the problem? Not much surprises us here at Migration Watch UK, after 20 years of painstaking study of the mess that is our ballooning immigration crisis. But even we took a
- [The Country Has Changed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-country-has-changed/) - We did not vote for this transformation Census figures reveal how immigration has transformed a crowded UK Newly-released data from the 2021 Census show that the population of England and Wales has grown by more than eight million since 2001, with all of the increase being the result of immigration (read our summary and click
- [They Just Shrug Their Shoulders](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/they-just-shrug-their-shoulders/) - Lord Green asks how we’ll bring down immigration Politicians react to shocking census and immigration figures with a shrug of the shoulders The facts are there for everyone to see. Immigration has changed the country. In some parts, Britain has been transformed in just a few decades, picking up pace since the turn of the century.In historical terms, it
- [Should We Believe Them Now?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/should-we-believe-them-now/) - Will the PM stick to his guns on border control? Is this really anything new? The ‘five-point’ plan unveiled by the Prime Minister on Tuesday is in reality nothing new. Speeding up processing and removals, getting asylum seekers out of costly hotel accommodation and introducing further legislation to make removals easier are all promises made in the
- [News Emerges That The Uk Is Granting Three Times More Asylum Applications Than France](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/news-emerges-that-the-uk-is-granting-three-times-more-asylum-applications-than-france/) - Migration Watch UK’s latest research has had a big impact in the press this week. This research paper shows that the UK is approving nearly three times as many of its asylum claims as France and double the European Union average. This makes it clear just how generous the UK is to asylum seekers when compared with
- [2022: A Year Of Broken Records And Promises. What Of 2023?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/2022-a-year-of-broken-records-and-promises-what-of-2023/) - 2022 has been a momentous year of broken records. In the year ending September 2022, immigration was in excess of one million, with net migration of over half a million. The inflow from outside the EU of students and their dependants and those coming to work plus their dependants and of course those who came
- [We’ll Hold Them To Account In 2023](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/well-hold-them-to-account-in-2023/) - We won’t let up on holding their feet to the fire We won’t ease up on holding the government’s feet to the fire in 2023 Happy New Year! While the Prime Minister promises (again) to crack down on illegal boat crossings, the even bigger story of a decades-long immigration tsunami struggles to gain attention. That
- [Mass Immigration Does Damage To Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-immigration-does-damage-to-britain/) - We have to admit there is a problem before we can solve it Mass immigration’s negative impact The first step to solving a problem is admitting there is a problem. On borders and immigration, this is the hurdle we continue to face, despite Brexit and despite countless votes by the British public to bring down immigration. In
- [They Told Us Immigration Would Come Down](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/they-told-us-immigration-would-come-down/) - The country is changing fast due to mass immigration We were promised control of our borders and reduced immigration We imagine that like us at Migration Watch UK, you have had enough of attention-grabbing headlines and big (broken) promises. Perhaps it’s still early days for this Prime Minister and his Home Secretary, and to be
- [A Totally Avoidable Tragedy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-totally-avoidable-tragedy/) - This is not the first time, nor will it be the last When will our ruling politicians wake up? Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai is a name that will live in infamy. The murderer of Tom Roberts – a young man who dreamt of serving his country by becoming a Royal Marine. A lying, vicious, psychotic killer from Afghanistan
- [Dodgy Official Projection That Uk Population Will Grow By Just Seven Million Over 40 Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/dodgy-official-projection-that-uk-population-will-grow-by-just-seven-million-over-40-years/) - Has the ONS got its projections wrong? The population projections for the UK issued by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last month are, to say the least, deeply flawed. They suggest a rate of population growth over the next twenty years that is half that of the last twenty years. Here is their population projection: a population
- [Will Our Leaders Deliver?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-our-leaders-deliver/) - Unless we get tough the boats will keep coming Big promises on the Channel – but will they come to anything? Our latest analysis of the official statistics on irregular migration show that more than 135,000 people have been detected attempting to enter the UK illegally since 1 January 2018 (see our new summary). Was this why the Prime
- [Cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/cost-of-housing-asylum-seekers-in-hotels/) - Summary 1. Tens of thousands of asylum claimants are staying in approximately 200 hotels, alongside an unknown number in hostels. With asylum-related hotel provision rising amidst a mounting case backlog and record dinghy crossings, the cost of such hotel accommodation to taxpayers is nearly £1.3 billion per year – over a billion more than the forecast of
- [Direct refugee immigration to the UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/direct-refugee-immigration-to-the-uk/) - 1. Around a third of a million refugees have come to the UK using 13 different refugee routes since 2005, including around 240,000 people in just the past year. 2. In addition, more than 60,000 refugee family members of refugees have come over during the period 2010-2022, bringing the total arriving via 13 routes to
- [Recent change in the UK asylum grant rate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/recent-change-in-the-uk-asylum-grant-rate/) - Summary 1. The UK’s asylum grant rate at the initial decision stage was nearly three times that of France (72% compared with 25%) in 2021, a year during which 28,500 people came to the UK from France in boats. The UK grant rate is now a permissive outlier compared with most of Europe and, by September 2022, had risen
- [Modern slavery Referrals by small boat migrants (2018-2022)](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/modern-slavery-referrals-by-small-boat-migrants-2018-2022/) - Key points In the first half of 2022, over half of all small boat modern slavery (SBMS) referrals came from Albania. This is five times more than the second largest group (Eritreans). In the first half of 2022, already 59 per cent of the total amount of the previous year’s total SBMS referrals had been
- [The Abuse Of Modern Slavery Laws By Asylum Seekers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-abuse-of-modern-slavery-laws-by-asylum-seekers/) - Key points According to a former immigration minister and sources within government, the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is being abused by migrants making the channel crossings with little if any proof. In some cases, immigrants are initially denying being modern slaves and changing their story later. Modern slavery claimants have increased from 552 in 2009
- [Asylum Seeker Hotel Costs In Context](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-seeker-hotel-costs-in-context/) - Over the past few decades, the numbers relating to government spending only seem to rise and rise. This can be quite de-sensitising. Eventually, an exasperated taxpayer might even be forgiven for caring little for ‘just’ another £5.6 million being spent by a government department with a forgettable name. Yet that £5.6 million, which is what
- [Half A Million More Foreign-born Arrive In Past Decade Than Previous Ten Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/half-a-million-more-foreign-born-arrive-in-past-decade-than-previous-ten-years/) - Despite promising cuts in immigration, the government has overseen even higher levels than under Tony Blair or Gordon Brown during their time in office. New datafrom the 2021 Census (carried out during March of last year) shows that the number of non-UK born people who arrived in the past decade was half a million more
- [How Uncontrolled Immigration Could Mean Electoral Defeat For The Conservatives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-uncontrolled-immigration-could-mean-electoral-defeat-for-the-conservatives/) - New polling backs up what Migration Watch UK found in the summer—that voters want to see a reduction in immigration and the government will lose its Red Wall support if action is not taken to control borders. A recent poll of over 2,000 voters showed that 56% believe immigration has been too high since the
- [£220 Million Of Your Money Handed To France Since Boats Crisis Began – And Problem Just Gets Worse](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/220-million-of-your-money-handed-to-france-since-boats-crisis-began-and-problem-just-gets-worse/) - The government has signed a new £63 million agreement with France that will involve the UK paying for 40 per cent more French officers to patrol their own beaches, British officers stationed in French control rooms, and extra drones, night-vision goggles and other surveillance equipment. However, it provoked a backlash after it emerged it will
- [Net Level Of Immigration Is Now *half A Million* Per Year – An All-time Record](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/net-level-of-immigration-is-now-half-a-million-per-year-an-all-time-record/) - Net migration for the year to June 2022 is estimated by the ONS to be 504,000 This of course is an all-time record level of net migration. The previous record was a third of a million the year to March 2016. To be clear, net immigration has *risen* by that amount (a third of a million)
- [Census Reveals The Massive Impact Of Immigration On Our Society](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/census-reveals-the-massive-impact-of-immigration-on-our-society/) - London, West Midlands, South East and East of England most affected by immigration-driven population growth of eight million Ethnic minority share of England and Wales more than doubles from 12% to 26% Birmingham and Manchester join London to become minority white British cities Some local authorities have ethnic minority shares of more than 80% Summary: In the last
- [Nearly 7 In 10 Of Those Coming In Boats Are Young Men As 500% Increase In Afghan Dinghy Arrivals Helps Drive Surging Illegal Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nearly-7-in-10-of-those-coming-in-boats-are-young-men-as-500-increase-in-afghan-dinghy-arrivals-helps-drive-surging-illegal-immigration/) - Small boat arrivals rose by 1.6 times in 2022 compared with 2021 and by 153 times compared with 2018. There have been nearly 140,000 illegal entry attempts in past five years (around 60% by small boat, 24% by illegal lorry and container entry and the remainder by air) Nearly seven in ten of those arriving in the past five years are
- [Immigration Rises To 1.3 Million: Visa Grants For Foreigners To Live Here Double In 3 Years](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-rises-to-1-3-million-visa-grants-for-foreigners-to-live-here-double-in-3-years/) - The number of visa grants for people to come and live in the UK has more than doubled from over half a million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022 (see the full Home Office bulletinand our press comment). And that doesn’t include 50,000 people who were caught attempting to enter the UK illegally in just the past
- [British People Have Had Enough](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/british-people-have-had-enough/) - Meanwhile the politicians sit on their hands The message from much of the liberal political class and elitist commentariat is pretty clear, isn’t it? “If you care about the safety of your community and your family, you must be far right, working class and almost certainly a racist. And if you care about your green spaces, school
- [A Double Betrayal On Borders](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-double-betrayal-on-borders/) - Both legal and illegal immigration are out of control The double-whammy of immigration betrayal The terrible reality of the two-headed beast that is illegal and very high legal mass migration has finally hit home this week with official data showing a breath-taking rise on both fronts. The increases were stark: 95% increase in work permits
- [They Treat You With Contempt](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/they-treat-you-with-contempt/) - You want tighter borders, they want them opened up We want tightly controlled borders and much less immigration. The elites want the opposite Another week, another story of a preventable attack from a vicious killer who should not have been allowed into the country. Just six months after he dodged deportation because of last-minute human
- [Will Rishi Stop The Boats?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-rishi-stop-the-boats/) - The new bill is a necessary first step Will the new bill stop the boats? While the government announced its latest legislation to tackle the crisis of illegal immigration into Britain via small boats, our team has been doing the rounds in the media. Will this finally be the moment that Britain takes control of its borders again?
- [No, Migration Doesn’t Prevent Recessions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-migration-doesnt-prevent-recessions/) - Immigration saving the Economy? Nonsense! Following the Spring Budget Statement, media commentators, as well as the usual open-borders and immigration enthusiasts, leapt on the Chancellor’s implied assertion that high net migration will prevent the UK economy from going into recession. We said such a claim was baseless (See here). The claim followed earlier projections from the OBR, derived
- [We Can’t Take These Numbers…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-cant-take-these-numbers/) - Voters want a reduction in immigration Let’s get back to sensible control Ordinary people in Britain know full well that net migration into the country is too high and has been for years now. The question is not about being pro- or anti-immigration. The issue is the sheer scale. Before Tony Blair instigated radical changes to our
- [National Health Service Is A Migration Junky](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/national-health-service-is-a-migration-junky/) - The scandal of not training enough medics only to steal them from needier countries This week we published new research showing that nearly half of all the doctors joining the NHS in 2022 came from overseas. Also revealed was the number of applicants rejected from medical courses in Britain. This is from the paper: “In 2022, there
- [Suspected Terrorists Enter Britain…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/suspected-terrorists-enter-britain/) - The danger of open borders and collapsed enforcement Why have known terrorists been admitted and allowed to roam freely? They should be under lock and key It emerged this week via the Daily Mail that 19 suspected terrorists were admitted to Britain having entered illegally and claimed asylum. Have we gone completely barmy? Indeed, since 2018, 90,000
- [They’re Taking Us For Mugs…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/theyre-taking-us-for-mugs/) - You voted for low immigration, so why the delay? Cut immigration, now! According to YouGov‘s latest polling 59% of the public think that immigration has been too high, and only 10% think it has been too low. While a whopping 86% of Conservative voters — many of whom voted the way they did in 2019 believing
- [Now The Tough Work Begins…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/now-the-tough-work-begins/) - Only a reduction will sort immigration Illegal Immigration Bill through Commons but still a long way to go. What about jaw-dropping legal migration? The Illegal Immigration Bill has completed its Commons stages and will now move to the Lords, where the government’s task of getting the Bill through intact will be much tougher. The House of Lords is replete with
- [The Numbers Will Shock You…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-numbers-will-shock-you/) - New immigration data will give Britain a wake up call Mass Migration Madness The net migration figures for the whole of 2022 will be published on 25 May. Our analysis (which largely informed the Centre for Policy Studies forecast earlier this week) has pointed to a figure significantly higher than the half million net migration to
- [Woke Border Spin](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/woke-border-spin/) - Deliberate policies are changing Britain Weak border policies and a loose system taking their toll The proponents of high immigration and the shockingly loose points-based system have been out in force ahead of the net migration figures for the whole of 2022 to be announced on May 25. As we we wrote last week, these
- [Bombshell Figures Coming…](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/bombshell-figures-coming/) - Net migration figures set to shock Reduction, reduction, reduction! On his flight to Japan earlier this week, the Prime Minister said to the accompanying journalists: “When it comes to legal migration, the key thing for people to know is we’re in control of why people are here, the circumstances and the terms on which they are
- [30,000 Sign Petition To Cut Immigration In First Week](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/30000-sign-petition-to-cut-immigration-in-first-week/) - In the wake of the news that the UK had all-time high net migration of 606,000 last year, we launched our own petition calling for government to come to its senses and cut net migration to below 100,000 people. We will follow up with with a formal campaign launch on Thursday 8 June and go
- [Weekly Newsletter – 9th June](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-9th-june/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 16th June](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-16th-june/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 23rd June](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-23rd-june/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter -30th June](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-30th-june/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 07 July](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-07-july/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 14 July](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-14-july/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 21 July](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-21-july/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Weekly Newsletter – 28 July](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/weekly-newsletter-28-july/) - Click here to read the latest Migration Watch UK newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.
- [Are Safe Routes The Solution? You’ve Got To Be Joking.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/are-safe-routes-the-solution-youve-got-to-be-joking/) - This is a preview of the Migration Watch weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Of the variety of proposals put forward for solving the Channel
- [How can the UK stop relying on overseas doctors?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-can-the-uk-stop-relying-on-overseas-doctors/) - Summary In 2022, the number of overseas doctors joining NHS England outnumbered the number of British medical students to enrol in medicine courses. In 2022, just 47 per cent of UK-based medicine applicants were accepted, in contrast to 80 per cent of students across all courses. 46 per cent of HCHS doctors to join the
- [Record net migration and the rising demand for housing](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/record-net-migration-and-the-rising-demand-for-housing/) - Summary 1. If net migration to the UK is allowed to continue at the present record level of 606,000 per year, the UK population is projected to grow by more than 15 million by 2046 – far surpassing the level of 80 million before mid-century. It is estimated that this would result in the need
- [What’s The News On Modern Slavery Abuse Among Asylum Seekers?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/whats-the-news-on-modern-slavery-abuse-among-asylum-seekers/) - In recent years, the amount of modern slavery claims being made by asylum seekers has risen substantially. In 2022, claims reached a high of 17,000 of which just a quarter were for sole UK nationals. Earlier this year, we published exclusive data linking the significant increase in modern slavery claims to the Channel crisis. This data had such an
- [Responding To Labour Shortages – Is More Immigration The Answer? ](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/responding-to-labour-shortages-is-more-immigration-the-answer/) - Since leaving the European Union and emerging from the Covid-19 Pandemic, the topic of workforce immigration has rarely been far from the headlines. Whether it is increasing the number of agricultural workers, nurses or hospitality staff there has been no end to the calls for ever more immigration. If anything, it seems as if no matter
- [Does Britain Think Immigration Is Too High?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/does-britain-think-immigration-is-too-high/) - Polling is central to modern politics. For governments, it is a means of testing public reaction to policies. More and more nowadays it is done with focus groups to test the popularity or otherwise of policies and pronouncements. Immigration is an area that is particularly tightly monitored by pollsters, because it has long been a core
- [From Baghdad To Bournemouth – Granting Refuge To Terrorists](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/from-baghdad-to-bournemouth-granting-refuge-to-terrorists/) - It emerged in the Daily Mail recently that among those who illegally entered the UK in a dinghy last year were 19 suspected terrorists, several of whom are thought to have been members of the Islamic State group. Despite the fact that several of these individuals were already under ‘active investigation’ by other countries when
- [A Passage From India – Explaining The Unexpected Rise Of Indians Crossing The Channel](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-passage-from-india-explaining-the-unexpected-rise-of-indians-crossing-the-channel/) - This week the government disclosed that in 2023 Indians have been the second largest group of people illegally crossing the English Channel in small boats, making up 18 per cent of all crossings. Although the increase in Indians making the crossings had been reported earlier this year, that this remains the case several months into Spring suggests this May
- [Is The Prime Minister’s Plan Working?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-the-prime-ministers-plan-working/) - Can the government stop the boats? Speaking in Dover today, the Prime Minister gave an update on his pledge to stop small boats crossing the English Channel. Illegal crossings, he said, are down 20 per cent while illegal migration into Europe has risen by 30 per cent. French authorities have also intercepted an additional 40 per
- [Yes, 100,000 Illegal Channel-crossers In Small Boats Since 2018](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/yes-100000-illegal-channel-crossers-in-small-boats-since-2018/) - This is a preview of the Migration Watch weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The number of migrants illegally crossing the English Channel shot past
- [Tragic End To Small Boats Week Farce](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tragic-end-to-small-boats-week-farce/) - This is a preview of the Migration Watch weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. As we mentioned last week, in its efforts to claim progress
- [Will The Government Ever Fulfil Its Immigration Pledges?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-the-government-ever-fulfil-its-immigration-pledges/) - This is a preview of the Migration Watch weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Whether it is pledging to reduce immigration to the ‘tens of
- [Were Missing Migrant Children Really All Minors?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/were-missing-migrant-children-really-all-minors/) - This is a preview of the Migration Watch weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. We have long been concerned that adult asylum seekers have been attempting
- [At What Cost An Indian Trade Deal?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/at-what-cost-an-indian-trade-deal/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. For a year, and even before then, the government have been
- [Will Labour’s Plan To Stop The Boats Make Matters Worse?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-labours-plan-to-stop-the-boats-make-matters-worse/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. So, finally, we have learned how the Labour Party proposes to
- [Asylum Hotel Costs Hit £8 Million Every Day](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/asylum-hotel-costs-hit-8-million-every-day/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. This week the Home Office published its annual accounts. We learned that
- [The Home Secretary Gets It, But Are The Conservatives Breaking Their Promises?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-home-secretary-gets-it-but-are-the-conservatives-breaking-their-promises/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, travelled to Washington DC this week
- [Massive recent increase in lower skilled immigrant workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/massive-recent-increase-in-lower-skilled-immigrant-workers/) - Summary 1. The Conservative election manifesto in 2019 stated that attracting highly skilled workers would be a key policy objective. The government’s aim was to make the UK “a magnet for the best and brightest”, meaning that “there will be fewer lower-skilled migrants” and “overall numbers will come down.”[1] 2. This paper finds that, in
- [Will The Conservatives Ever Tell Us What They Really Think?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-the-conservatives-ever-tell-us-what-they-really-think/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Hot on the heels of last week’s major speech by the
- [A Very Telling Silence – What Would Labour Do?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-very-telling-silence-what-would-labour-do/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The Labour Party held their conference in Liverpool this week. Given
- [Europe Shaken By String Of Murders By Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/europe-shaken-by-string-of-murders-by-migrants/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Since 7th October news has, quite rightly, been dominated by Israel and
- [100 Hotels To End Housing Migrants](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/100-hotels-to-end-housing-migrants/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. You will recall that in a speech in early January, the
- [Work Migration To Rise for Years To Come](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/work-migration-to-rise-for-years-to-come/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Despite promising to reduce immigration since 2010, we learned this week
- [What Would Be The Impact Of Net Migration Continuing On Its Current Scale?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-would-be-the-impact-of-net-migration-continuing-on-its-current-scale/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You
- [Does Government Want To Cut Immigration? It Has The Power](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/does-government-want-to-cut-immigration-it-has-the-power/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. What a week. It began with Suella Braverman being sacked as
- [Make That 18 Birminghams](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/make-that-18-birminghams/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Promises broken and new records set. And yet, our new Home
- [Tell Us What You Really Think Prime Minister.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tell-us-what-you-really-think-prime-minister/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In the wake of last week’s shocking net migration statistics and immigration levels,
- [The Government’s Miserable Migration Month Continues](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-governments-miserable-migration-month-continues/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. For almost a month now Immigration has dominated the headlines. Here’s
- [Small Boat Returns Almost Non-existent, Home Office Admits](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/small-boat-returns-almost-non-existent-home-office-admits/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. The recent focus on the Channel crisis has revealed a striking statistic: only one percent of small boat arrivals since 2020 have been sent back to their home country. We knew that the number of enforced returns had dropped to a
- [Rishi Sunak Calls For Change In Global Refugee Laws – Or Does He?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rishi-sunak-calls-for-change-in-global-refugee-laws-or-does-he/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Speaking at a conference in Rome last weekend, alongside Italian PM
- [Looking Back At 2023](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/looking-back-at-2023/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In last year‘s end-of-year newsletter, we dubbed 2022 a year of broken
- [The Election Year Dawns – And Immigration Is A Key Battleground](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-election-year-dawns-and-immigration-is-a-key-battleground/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. We trust this newsletter reaches you in good health, and it’s not too late to extend our
- [The Uk Emerges As Europe’s Soft Touch For Citizenship](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-uk-emerges-as-europes-soft-touch-for-citizenship/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The government is now attempting to address soaring migration with measures like increasing the minimum earnings threshold
- [House Of Commons Gives Bill Green Light To Send Migrants To Rwanda. But Huge Hurdles Remain.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/house-of-commons-gives-bill-green-light-to-send-migrants-to-rwanda-but-huge-hurdles-remain/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The talk this week has of course been all about the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which received
- [Labour’s feeble plan to tackle Channel crossing asylum seekers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labours-feeble-plan-to-tackle-channel-crossing-asylum-seekers/) - Summary 1. During 2022, more than 880,000 first-time asylum seekers applied for international protection in the EU, up by an remarkable 64% compared with 2021. 2. [1]Meanwhile, more than 45,700 migrants crossed the English Channel to come to the UK by dinghy last year and, so far this year, more than 24,800 people have travelled here
- [Labour’s approach to immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/labours-approach-to-immigration/) - Summary 1. During Tony Blair's tenure as the leader of New Labour, there was a substantial rise in immigration, especially from newly joined EU countries in Eastern Europe. Between 1997 and 2010, the yearly net migration rate increased fourfold, resulting in over 2.2 million immigrants added to the UK population, which is more than double
- [Fifteen new Birminghams](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/fifteen-new-birminghams/) - Summary 1. Britain's population growth is nowadays entirely due to immigration. If net migration were to continue at the present record level of 606,000 a year, Britain’s population would rise to between 83-87 million by 2046. This would represent an increase of more than 15 million in Britain’s population – equivalent to fifteen new cities
- [Shortcomings in proposals for refugee and asylum schemes by both parties](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/shortcomings-in-proposals-for-refugee-and-asylum-schemes-by-both-parties/) - Summary 1. To secure the passage of the Illegal Immigration Act 2023 through Parliament, the government committed to allowing an unspecified number of people to come to the UK via humanitarian routes each year, over and above the hundreds of thousands who have already made their way to the UK from Hong Kong and Ukraine
- [Channel Migrants To Be Allowed To Work In Any Job After Six Months? No!](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/channel-migrants-to-be-allowed-to-work-in-any-job-after-six-months-no/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The ‘Migration Advisory Committee’ (MAC), the body that advises the government on migration has said that asylum
- [Migrant Population Boom Will Require Five New Cities The Size Of Birmingham](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migrant-population-boom-will-require-five-new-cities-the-size-of-birmingham/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.The latest projections from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released earlier this week indicate that the UK’s population will
- [Immigration: A Threat To Security](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-a-threat-to-security/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Abdul Ezedi, an Afghan who entered the UK illegally by hiding in a lorry, is now the
- [Mass Migration Deepens The Housing Crisis](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mass-migration-deepens-the-housing-crisis/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The Home Office has amassed a stock of 16,000 properties for asylum seekers, despite a severe shortage of housing for
- [The Social Care Visa Scam](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-social-care-visa-scam/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. The UK’s social care sector has been rocked by a scandal of epic proportions, with shocking revelations of widespread
- [How Do You Solve A Problem Like Lee…?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-lee/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Ashfield MP Lee Anderson was suspended from the Tory party on Sunday after refusing to apologise for saying Islamists
- [Lord Green’s Vindication](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/lord-greens-vindication/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In the cacophony of figures and forecasts unveiled during the Chancellor’s budget speech, one number remained conspicuously
- [A Desperate Act?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-desperate-act/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Our government has, it seems, been contacting (by phone) asylum seekers whose asylum applications have been rejected
- [London’s Population Boom](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/londons-population-boom/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. London’s population has surged to a new record high, driven by a sharp rise in migration and a
- [Multiculturalism Has Failed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/multiculturalism-has-failed/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In March 2021, the quiet town of Batley was thrust into the spotlight when a religious studies
- [Immigration Stats: Are They Telling Us The Truth?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-stats-are-they-telling-us-the-truth/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. We often hear the saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Statistics
- [Our Immigration And Asylum System Is A Shambles](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/our-immigration-and-asylum-system-is-a-shambles/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In most cases, real-life stories hit home harder in a way that numbers, important though they are,
- [The Rwanda Plan: What Next?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-rwanda-plan-what-next/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Bill is caught in the midst of a fierce battle in Parliament. Despite facing
- [Rwanda: Too Little, Too Late?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rwanda-too-little-too-late/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. After much ado, the Rwanda Bill has made its way through Parliament, and Rishi Sunak, in his
- [Through A Glass Darkly](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/through-a-glass-darkly/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. On Wednesday, a staggering 711 migrants made the perilous journey across the English Channel, marking the highest number on
- [Is Migration Good For The Economy?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-migration-good-for-the-economy/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. In a bombshell revelation, the Bank of England’s top economist has sounded the alarm on soaring rents, pointing the
- [The Graduate Visa Scam](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-graduate-visa-scam/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. Professor Brian Bell, Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), believes that Rishi Sunak might just pull off meeting
- [No Cap, No Control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/no-cap-no-control/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. On Wednesday, we published a short briefing paper – “No cap, no control”. That very afternoon, Mr. Sunak stood
- [Immigration Is A Threat To Uk Security ](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-is-a-threat-to-uk-security/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. A week into the election campaign
- [They Said It’s The Immigration Election. It Is Now.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/they-said-its-the-immigration-election-it-is-now/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. So, Mr. Brexit has returned. Nigel
- [The Immigration Election: It Seems That The Conservatives And Labour Haven’t Heard](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-immigration-election-it-seems-that-the-conservatives-and-labour-havent-heard/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released. This week, the Labour party released
- [The Immigration Election: Manifestos](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-immigration-election-manifestos/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released In last week’s letter, we covered
- [The End Of An Era: How Immigration Came To Haunt The Conservatives](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-end-of-an-era-how-immigration-came-to-haunt-the-conservatives/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released For the sake of the British
- [The Starmer Era Has Begun](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-starmer-era-has-begun/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released Sir Keir Starmer was as good
- [Leeds Riots](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/leeds-riots/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released Two things became abundantly clear as
- [The Urgent Need To Control And Reduce Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-urgent-need-to-control-and-reduce-immigration/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released Migration Watch UK President (and joint
- [Broken Britain](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/broken-britain/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released Sir Keir Starmer is right to
- [Immigration: Legitimate Concerns](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-legitimate-concerns/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. After the shocking violence in Southport last month, Britain is now facing an equally shocking reaction –
- [We’re Closing In On The Cliff Edge](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/were-closing-in-on-the-cliff-edge/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Extraordinary official figures were published this week on the number of visas granted in the year to June 2024,
- [Two-tier Keir](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/two-tier-keir/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week, the Prime Minister delivered a much-anticipated speech on the state of the nation, outlining the challenges ahead
- [Out Of Touch](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/out-of-touch/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. If you want to know what not to believe or how the public does not think about the issue of immigration,
- [The Great Immigration Data Blackout](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-great-immigration-data-blackout/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. How many prisoners in our jails made their way to the UK illegally? Are people from certain
- [The Grooming Gang Cover Up](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-grooming-gang-cover-up/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week, we were faced with yet another appalling example of our criminal justice system failing young
- [The Art Of The Deal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-art-of-the-deal/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Robert Jenrick, former immigration minister and Tory leadership contender, has proposed a bold plan to tackle illegal
- [Who Does He Care More About?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/who-does-he-care-more-about/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Migrants could remain in hotels for up to three more years due to a growing backlog in
- [Migration Surge](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-surge/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The Office for National Statistics revealed that Britain’s population is growing at its fastest rate ever recorded.
- [Boris The Bluffer](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/boris-the-bluffer/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week’s letter begins with executive director Mike Jones’s brilliant dismantling of Boris Johnson’s specious justification of the disastrous
- [Is immigration a threat to UK security?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-immigration-a-threat-to-uk-security/) - Summary 1. The recent influx of migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking asylum in Europe has triggered a crisis. Governments face the intricate task of reconciling humanitarian law with the impact on their societies, economies and security. This paper finds that substantial inflows, particularly of asylum seekers, can increase the likelihood of terrorist
- [Immigration: No cap, no control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-no-cap-no-control/) - Summary 1. There is little doubt that the next set of official migration statistics to issue on 23rd May will confirm that the scale and pace of immigration has run out of control and that the post-Brexit immigration system must bear the bulk of the blame. The only effective way forward is now to impose
- [The Case For Leaving The Echr](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-case-for-leaving-the-echr/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. It’s a common belief that Britain has a tough time sending illegal immigrants back home while other
- [Why Britain Can’t Afford Mass Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/why-britain-cant-afford-mass-immigration/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. There were two momentous events in the past week. On Wednesday it was the long-in-coming budget. Then on Saturday,
- [What Trump’s Win Means For Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-trumps-win-means-for-immigration/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. So, as we all now know, Donald Trump is again going to be the US President –
- [How Migration Watch Led And Shaped The Immigration Debate](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/how-migration-watch-led-and-shaped-the-immigration-debate/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Following this week’s, rather good, BBC 2 programme broadcast on Monday 11 November, we thought you would
- [Illegal Immigration: A Drain On Our Economy And Taxpayers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/illegal-immigration-a-drain-on-our-economy-and-taxpayers/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. First, the Damascene conversion. On Thursday, the former editor of the Spectator, Fraser Nelson, wrote approvingly in his Daily
- [Immigration: Testing The Limits Of A Nation](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-testing-the-limits-of-a-nation/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has delivered yet another bombshell. Net migration – the number of long-term arrivals
- [The Open Borders Experiment?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-open-borders-experiment/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Sir Keir Starmer was right to call out the Tories for their abject failure over 14 years
- [Record Asylum Applications And Sky-high Work Visas, And The Number Of Young Not Studying Or In Work Hits An 11-year Peak](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/record-asylum-applications-and-sky-high-work-visas-and-the-number-of-young-not-studying-or-in-work-hits-an-11-year-peak/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. In case you missed it, Home Office statistics issued on Thursday (27th February) contained some extraordinary figures.
- [We Call For Action On Immigration And The Government Responds With Waffle.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/we-call-for-action-on-immigration-and-the-government-responds-with-waffle/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The sheer scale of immigration remains at unprecedented levels, and continues to put more and more pressure
- [Abu Wadee: The Stuff Of Nightmares](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/abu-wadee-the-stuff-of-nightmares/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Our article of the week (see below) in this newsletter is about Abu Wadee, a Palestinian, whose
- [What Does Uncontrolled Mass Immigration Really Mean For The Future The Uk?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-does-uncontrolled-mass-immigration-really-mean-for-the-future-the-uk/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. A very good, thought-provoking, article by Rhodes Napier, in the Pimlico Journal (he also contributes to J’accuse.)
- [What Does Uncontrolled Mass Immigration Really Mean For The Future Of The Uk?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-does-uncontrolled-mass-immigration-really-mean-for-the-future-of-the-uk/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week it’s been mostly about illegal immigration and asylum, with the Prime Minister doing his best
- [Light On Detail, Soft On Enforcement And No Sign Of Anything Happening Soon: White Paper Is A Fig Leaf.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/light-on-detail-soft-on-enforcement-and-no-sign-of-anything-happening-soon-white-paper-is-a-fig-leaf/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The government this week released a White Paper (WP), on the failure of Britain’s immigration policies, and
- [When Are We Going To Get Control Over Migration Numbers?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/when-are-we-going-to-get-control-over-migration-numbers/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released their revised figures on net migration for 2024, and have
- [Net Migration May Be Down, But The Problem Hasn’t Gone Away](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/net-migration-may-be-down-but-the-problem-hasnt-gone-away/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The Prime Minister got it right last week when he said that “We risk becoming an island
- [Major Demographic Concerns Face Our Country But The Government Remains In Denial](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/major-demographic-concerns-face-our-country-but-the-government-remains-in-denial/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. As we have warned for years, Britain is on the brink of a fundamental population shift. Our founder,
- [Not A Hope In Hell’s Chance Of Building The Homes Needed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/not-a-hope-in-hells-chance-of-building-the-homes-needed/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The focus of attention this week has been the Chancellor’s spending review. With regard to housing, the
- [Horrific Betrayal Of British Children – But Hope Ahead?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/horrific-betrayal-of-british-children-but-hope-ahead/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week has been dominated by the explosive Casey Report – an investigation into historic (and ongoing)
- [Money For Nothing – And Your Digs For Free](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/money-for-nothing-and-your-digs-for-free/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Attention this week has focused on the abject farce of what the government coyishly describes as “supervised
- [One Year Of Sir Keir – But What Has He Achieved?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/one-year-of-sir-keir-but-what-has-he-achieved/) - READ NOW: A shocking year, strewn with failure. Pull your socks up or go! Today (Friday 4th July) is the first anniversary of Sir Keir Starmer’s landslide election win. Cruising to victory against a disorganised and demoralised Conservative Party, Sir Keir won the largest majority since Sir Tony Blair in 1997. As followers of Migration Watch
- [Uk Humiliation As French President Runs Rings Around Our Prime Minister](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/uk-humiliation-as-french-president-runs-rings-around-our-prime-minister/) - We heard a great deal about the one-in-one-out agreement before President Macron paid his state visit. In the event, while our prime Minister and Home Secretary have boasted that a “groundbreaking initiative is a pivotal moment in a new phase of UK-France cooperation…….” It is worth repeating here what Sir Keir Starmer said about the
- [Will We Ever Have A Government We Can Trust?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/will-we-ever-have-a-government-we-can-trust/) - There have been a series of immigration-related stories this week that perfectly illustrate the disastrous impact of ill-conceived immigration policies over the past 25-30 years. The economic and social harm that the scale, speed and nature of immigration has caused been incalculable. The story that caught media attention was the unintentional (we assume) leak of
- [Hello, Is There A Doctor In The House?](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/hello-is-there-a-doctor-in-the-house/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. As you might have seen, doctors are due to strike again (despite record pay rises). For many
- [Immigration Is Changing Your Local Area – See How Your Town Has Changed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-is-changing-your-local-area-see-how-your-town-has-changed/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week, the ONS released its projections for population growth in England and Wales over the last
- [Starmer’s Hokey Cokey Wheeze Makes Fools Of Us All](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/starmers-hokey-cokey-wheeze-makes-fools-of-us-all/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. The pathetically limp, ‘one in, one out’, Starmer-Macron wheeze got underway this week (5th August). Not only
- [Obr Admits The Obvious](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/obr-admits-the-obvious/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Once again, the warnings made by Migration Watch have been proved right. Recently, David Miles – a
- [Home Office Horror Show](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/home-office-horror-show/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. This week, the Home Office released its regular updates on asylum and immigration statistics. As expected, there’s
- [Breaking: Home Office Successfully Argues That Rights Of Migrants Come Before Rights Of Britons](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/breaking-home-office-successfully-argues-that-rights-of-migrants-come-before-rights-of-britons/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. Recently, a High Court ruled that Epping Forest District Council could close a hotel in Epping which
- [Small Changes, Big Results](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/small-changes-big-results/) - This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released. A rare positive start to the week: in the aftermath of Migration Watch’s recent paper on the staggering
- [The Future of Student Visas](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-future-of-student-visas/) - Executive summary Getting immigration under control must be the first and main priority of any new government. The problem now lies not merely in illegal immigration, which the current government has liked to make a big show of tackling, but the legal routes to entry that have allowed the immigrant population to explode and become
- [War In Iran Will Only Make Britain’s Migration Crisis Worse](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/war-in-iran-will-only-make-britains-migration-crisis-worse/) - The regional fallouts of the conflict engulfing Iran are yet to reveal themselves, but one catastrophic consequence is definitely not in doubt: Britain’s migration crisis will further deepen. Iran is already the nation from which many channel crossers have come, at more than 25,000 by the end of 2024. This aside, the ONS put the
- [A Shocking Year, Strewn With Failure. Pull Your Socks up or go!](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/a-shocking-year-strewn-with-failure-pull-your-socks-up-or-go/) - It’s been exactly one year since Labour won the 2024 General Election. Given that “immigration and asylum” was the second-most important issue for voters at the time – and by far the most important issue for Conservative and Reform voters – how has Labour performed on this issue? More specifically, how has the government performed on its own
- [Migration Is Changing Your Area – Just Look At These Numbers.](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-is-changing-your-area-just-look-at-these-numbers/) - The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its official estimates for the population of England and Wales yesterday, and the results make for dire reading. Already the headlines are coming in thick and fast: “Migration fuels population jump, figures suggest” from the BBC; “Net migration fuels second-biggest population rise in 75 years”, says The Times; and “Britain’s population growth
- [Cutting Student Visas: Bringing Migration Under Control](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/cutting-student-visas-bringing-migration-under-control/) - The numbers speak for themselves. In 2024, student visas accounted for 45% of all UK entry visas issued – the single largest route for legal migration. This surge is no accident. In 2019, ministers set a target of 600,000 international students by 2030; they hit it in 2022. Universities, free to recruit as they please
- [Don’t Be Fooled – This Government Is Not In Control Of Illegal Immigration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/dont-be-fooled-this-government-is-not-in-control-of-illegal-immigration/) - The Home Office today (9th September) issued a press release titled, ‘For the first time, small boat migrants arriving in the UK face being detained and returned to France’. Promising title – but is it true? Hardly. In fact, the press release buries the real story – that the vast majority of these returns are
- [Both Conservatives and Labour; the public on immigration. New research shows neither party will stop UK population hitting 70 million](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/both-conservatives-and-labour-the-public-on-immigration-new-research-shows-neither-party-will-stop-uk-population-hitting-70-million-migration-watch-uk/) - As the latest immigration Bill comes to the House of Commons on Tuesday for its final approval, new research published today shows that the immigration policies of neither the Conservative Party nor the Labour Party will stop the UK’s population hitting 70 million - up from 61 million today. The official forecast is that, in
- [Migration Watch Responds To The Latest Set Of Ons Migration Figures, September 2025](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-responds-to-the-latest-set-of-ons-migration-figures-september-2025/) - Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch, said: At last we have a political party that acknowledges the gravity of the situation. Immigration is now the sole driver of our massive and rapid population growth. It simply must be checked if serious tensions are to be averted. The huge Boriswave, illegal immigration and the scale of
- [Migration Watch Responds To The Latest Set Of Ons Migration Figures, September 2025](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-responds-to-the-latest-set-of-ons-migration-figures-september-2025-2/) - Migration Watch Chairman, Alp Mehmet, said: “At last we have a political party that acknowledges the gravity of the situation. Immigration is now the sole driver of our massive and rapid population growth. It simply must be checked if serious tensions are to be averted. The huge Boriswave, illegal immigration and the scale of extensions
- [Britain "Grinds to a Halt" - The Real Cost of Mass Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/britain-grinds-to-a-halt/) - There was a time when economists and politicians told us “Britain would grind to a halt” without migrant workers. We were told immigrants would pay their own way, earn more than British-born workers, fund our pensions and strengthen our public services. Those arguments are dying.
- [Africa's Forgotten Crisis Risks New Asylum Wave](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/africas-forgotten-crisis/) - In the two or three years prior to the 2015/16 deluge of asylum seekers, the EU, of which Britain was still a part, should have known that a mass movement of people would follow upheaval and conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, as well as in Africa.. And yet, everyone was caught totally unawares in 2015. Are we, once again, in the process of making the same catastrophic mistakes?
- [The Dream Is Dead - Europe Admits Mass Migration Has Failed](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-dream-is-dead-europe-admits-mass-migration-has-failed/) - For decades, there were activists, academics and politicians on the Continent who looked at Britain, rolled their eyes and tutted. The thought us insular - well, we are an island. We were too attached to our own history and identity, we banged on about the Second World War, defeating Hitler and Nazism; the Great War and defeating the Kaiser and before him, Napoleon, and seeing off the Spaniards in 1588. OK, I admit that’s stretching it a bit. As for the Industrial Revolution, Parliament, the Judiciary, the great universities….. Big deal, they said. Boring, they added.
- [The establishment of a new website to inform public debate on migration trends was announced on December 17, 2001. | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-establishment-of-a-new-website-to-inform-public-debate-on-migration-trends-was-announced-on-december-17-2001-migration-watch-uk/) - The intention is to provide the press and public with accurate and comprehensible information, to offer balanced comment and, in due course, to suggest policy options for consideration. The website "Migrationwatchuk.org" is the work of an independent and non-political body chaired by Sir Andrew Green. Dr (now Professor) David Coleman is an Honorary Consultant. The
- [Yes Prime Minister – Those Indian Students were Bogus | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/yes-prime-minister-those-indian-students-were-bogus-migration-watch-uk/) - During the Prime Minister’s recent visit to India, the immigration lobby claimed that the recent 25% drop in student numbers from India is evidence that Britain has been sending a negative message to overseas students. The reality is that the number of visas granted to Indian students almost doubled in the two years after the
- [MW291 : Convicted Foreign Criminals and the Right to Family Life | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw291-convicted-foreign-criminals-and-the-right-to-family-life-migration-watch-uk/) - The paper which appears below under the title “Convicted foreign criminals and the right to family life (2)” was completed on 13 February 2013. It is appropriate to precede it with further comments following the Home Secretary’s article on the subject which appeared in The Mail on Sunday on 17 February. The Home Secretary accuses
- [MW289 : EU Nationals and access to the British Welfare State | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw289-eu-nationals-and-access-to-the-british-welfare-state-migration-watch-uk/) - Summary 1. Access to the UK benefit system is primarily based on residence. An EU national who moves to the UK and is considered habitually resident has the same entitlement to benefits as a UK national regardless of their previous tax or National Insurance contributions. Habitual Residence is automatic in the case of workers and
- [Benefits for Overseas Children Cost UK Taxpayer £1 million per week | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/benefits-for-overseas-children-cost-uk-taxpayer-1-million-per-week-migration-watch-uk/) - The taxpayer is forking out over £1 million per week in child benefit to the parents whose children who do not even live in the UK, the think tank Migration Watch UK reveals today in a new Briefing Paper. The revelation comes following the disclosure that child benefit and tax credits are paid in respect of
- [Immigration from Romania and Bulgaria | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-from-romania-and-bulgaria-migration-watch-uk/) - Immigration from Romania and Bulgaria could amount to 50,000 a year in the first five years. That is the conclusion of a study issued by Migration Watch UK today. 250,000 is the population of a city of the size of Plymouth or Newcastle. That number could be considerably higher if there were to be a movement
- [Social Housing in London: What is the True Story? | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/social-housing-in-london-what-is-the-true-story-migration-watch-uk/) - There have long been suspicions that the public have not been told the full story about the impact of immigration on the queues for social housing. Research by Migrationwatch into the situation in London, published today, confirms that there are important questions to be answered. It finds that less than half the new lets by
- [MW285 : Bill of Rights – Commission’s Report | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw285-bill-of-rights-commissions-report-migration-watch-uk/) - The Commission set up in 2011 to report on the possibility of a UK Bill of Rights published its report yesterday, 18 December. It has not attracted much attention from the media. The report itself runs to 282 pages, which I do not claim to have read in full. I was aware that its terms
- [Speech by Labour Party Leader | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/speech-by-labour-party-leader-migration-watch-uk/) - Following the speech made this morning by the Labour Party Leader, Ed Miliband, Sir Andrew Green said: "The steps which Ed Miliband outlined to promote integration are perfectly sensible but there was a glaring gap in his speech - namely his failure to say anything significant about limiting the scale of future immigration. Apparently, he
- [Response to 2001 Census figures… | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-2001-census-figures-migration-watch-uk/) - The following comment was issued to the media on February 13, 2003 in respect of the results of the 2001 Census. 'These figures illustrate just how quickly and profoundly the character of some parts of our cities is changing. Indeed the changes will accelerate as the current record levels of immigration work through. As a
- [Today's Census Results | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/todays-census-results-migration-watch-uk/) - Following the release of today's Census results, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, commented: "This is the clear result of Labour’s mass immigration policy which brought nearly four million immigrants to England and Wales in ten years. Immigration on this scale is completely unacceptable to the vast majority of the public and is
- [Generous UK Welfare System a Magnet for EU Workers | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/generous-uk-welfare-system-a-magnet-for-eu-workers-migration-watch-uk/) - The UK benefits system is so generous and easy to access that it is likely to prove a “magnet” to people from poorer EU countries as the economic turmoil in the region intensifies, says a new report out today. With all movement restrictions for economic migrants from Romania and Bulgaria due to be lifted at
- [Amnesty for London’s 500,000+ Illegal Immigrants – ‘An Appallingly Bad Idea’ | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/amnesty-for-londons-500000-illegal-immigrants-an-appallingly-bad-idea-migration-watch-uk/) - The Mayor of London’s remarks in India about an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the capital would be a ‘kick in the teeth’ for the many thousands of young people struggling to find a job because of the unfair competition they face, says a think tank who have today issued a report on the situation in the
- [Is the fall in net immigration due to a fall in student numbers? | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/is-the-fall-in-net-immigration-due-to-a-fall-in-student-numbers-migration-watch-uk/) - Immigration data The latest net migration statistics to March 2012 show a significant fall in net migration to 183,000 - a reduction of 59,000 from the figure for year ending March 2011. According to the ONS News release “this reduction in immigration was largely due to fewer people arriving to study…” In fact, the main
- [Comment on Latest Immigration Statistics | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-latest-immigration-statistics-migration-watch-uk/) - In response to the immigration statistics released this morning showing net migration for 2010 at 239,000, 21% higher on last year, Sir Andrew Green said: "These figures lay bare the legacy of the Labour government with immigration last year close to a quarter of a million, the second highest ever. The coalition government will have to face down
- [Migration Statistics | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-statistics-migration-watch-uk/) - This morning the ONS released the latest net migration statistics for the year ending March 2012, showing that net migration has fallen to 183,000 from 242,000 the previous year. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "At last we can see some light at the end of the tunnel. We can now see
- [Rule Change Opens NHS to the World | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/rule-change-opens-nhs-to-the-world-migration-watch-uk/) - A recent government decision threatens to turn the NHS into the ‘World Health Service’ and should be rescinded as a matter of urgency, says a think tank in a report out today. Its provisionsallow illegal migrants and foreign visitors full and free access to primary care services, which can be the first step to costly and
- [MW281 : UNHCR Guidelines – Sexual Orientation | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw281-unhcr-guidelines-sexual-orientation-migration-watch-uk/) - 1 The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published on 23 October 2012 a new set of Guidelines on International Protection relating specifically to claims to refugee status based on sexual orientation under the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. These Guidelines supplement the UNHCR Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee
- [Migration Watch UK Calls For Targetted Assistance For Start-Ups | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-calls-for-targetted-assistance-for-start-ups-migration-watch-uk/) - A paper issued by Migration Watch UK today describes the bureaucracy facing a company that wishes to recruit a member of staff from outside the EU. After reading 108 pages of guidance, they need 10 sets of information to hand before completing an online application to become a registered sponsor. Commenting Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration
- [University Claims of Attracting ‘Brightest and Best’ Students Challenged | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/university-claims-of-attracting-brightest-and-best-students-challenged-migration-watch-uk/) - Claims by the UK education establishment that UK universities attract 'the brightest and best' international students have been shown to be greatly exaggerated by a new study out today which reveals that in fact the vast majority attend institutions that are not considered to be in the top tier of learning in Britain. The study, from
- [Strong Public Support for a Limit on Foreign Students | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/strong-public-support-for-a-limit-on-foreign-students-migration-watch-uk/) - 70% of the public want a limit on the number of foreign students admitted to Britain – that was the outcome of an opinion poll published by Migrationwatchtoday. The question explained that about 250,000 foreign students from outside the EU arrive every year to study in Britain. They pay the full cost of studying and provide
- [MW277 : Response to NUS briefing on international students | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw277-response-to-nus-briefing-on-international-students-migration-watch-uk/) - The majority of students leave at the end of their studies. There is no evidence to support this claim. The IPS still cannot distinguish departing workers from departing students. A recent Home Office study of a sample of cases, ‘The Migrant Journey’, found that after five years, 20% of students remained in the UK legally.
- [70 Million a Vital Aiming Mark | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/70-million-a-vital-aiming-mark-migration-watch-uk/) - The Migration Observatory has today published a report attacking the concept of a population target of 70 million and questioning whether it can be achieved. They accept that immigration accounts for 68% of our population growth and that the latest official projection will take the UK’s population to 70 million in 15 years. The government
- [Are Foreign Students Worth £12 Billion a Year? | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/are-foreign-students-worth-12-billion-a-year-migration-watch-uk/) - The NUS are now claiming a figure of £12.5 billion as the benefit of foreign students. The universities lobby has previously bandied about the figure of £8 billion. The implication is that this valuable sector of our economy is somehow being put at risk as a result of tightening the immigration regulations for foreign students.
- [Net Migration Figure for 2011 | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/net-migration-figure-for-2011-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting on today's net migration figure for 2011, Sir Andrew Green said : “These figures are a disappointment. Net migration remains far too high. Today’s numbers underline the huge difficulty of getting immigration back under control after thirteen years of chaos. The government is on the right track and numbers will come down in future
- [MW275 : Recent Supreme Court Cases | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw275-recent-supreme-court-cases-migration-watch-uk/) - 1 In its judgment in the case of RT (Zimbabwe) and others v. Secretary of State for the Home Department [1] UKSC 38 delivered on 25 July 2012 the Supreme Court gave an important ruling in relation to asylum appeals. The four parties from Zimbabwe were asylum seekers claiming that if they were returned to Zimbabwe there was
- [60,000 Bogus Students Could Have Entered the UK Last Year - Government “have bottled out on bogus students | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/60000-bogus-students-could-have-entered-the-uk-last-year-government-have-bottled-out-on-bogus-students-migration-watch-uk/) - As many as 60,000 bogus students could have entered the UK in 2011 alone. This is the conclusion of a study by Migration Watch, based on the findings of a Home Office pilot scheme which were published last week. Under the pilot scheme applicants for student visas were interviewed to determine whether they were genuine. This
- [MW272 : Office of Budget Responsibility: Immigration and Public Debt | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw272-office-of-budget-responsibility-immigration-and-public-debt-migration-watch-uk/) - The graph below, taken from the latest OBR Report has been seized upon by the immigration lobby as it purports to show that immigration helps us to tackle our debt problem. Two points they did not make: (a) The magic scenario that holds our public sector debt to 40 % of GDP results in a UK
- [MW271 : Bill of Rights - Second Consultation | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw271-bill-of-rights-second-consultation-migration-watch-uk/) - 1 In our Legal Paper MW 237 published in August 2011 I set out the views of Migration Watch in response to the initial consultation paper issued by the Commission on Human Rights. For all the reasons set out in that paper we expressed ourselves to be strongly opposed to a new Bill of Rights.
- [MW270 : Right to Family Life – New Immigration Rules | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw270-right-to-family-life-new-immigration-rules-migration-watch-uk/) - 1 The Home Office has recently promulgated a document running to 45 pages which substantially amends those paragraphs of the Immigration Rules which relate to family life. In this paper I am concentrating on those amendments which relate to the ability of convicted immigrant criminals to plead in accordance with Article 8 of the European
- [Comment on Today’s 2011 Census Release | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-todays-2011-census-release-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "This census confirms the impact of mass immigration on our population. We now find that even the official numbers previously understated the scale of net migration by 14% and even this does not account for the illegal immigrant population who would not complete the census
- [Removal of Students from Immigration Figures | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/removal-of-students-from-immigration-figures-migration-watch-uk/) - Students: Genuine or Bogus? 23 July, 2012 Summary 1 Students make up a large proportion of those who enter the country each year, making it imperative that only those who enter should be genuine. The recent Home Office pilot scheme designed to assess a student’s credibility found that, amongst those who failed the credibility test,
- [MW268 : Family and Employment Matters – Legal Notes | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw268-family-and-employment-matters-legal-notes-migration-watch-uk/) - 1. Abolition of family visit appeals. The Crime and Courts Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 28 May. Its main purpose is to establish the new National Crime Agency, but among its other miscellaneous provisions are two which are intended to make changes in the immigration appeals system. The important
- [20,000 Jobs go to Foreign Graduates | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/20000-jobs-go-to-foreign-graduates-migration-watch-uk/) - It is time that British Graduates were given priority for jobs. That is the conclusion of a study published today by Migration Watch UK. Under the latest government scheme, all foreign graduates are allowed to stay on for six months to look for a job. This is supposed to attract “the brightest and the best”. It does
- [Migration Watch UK Press Comment on Yvette Cooper's Immigration Speech | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-press-comment-on-yvette-coopers-immigration-speech-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting on Yvette Cooper’s speech, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This speech is elegant camouflage for the absence of any real policy on the central issue of scale. Net foreign immigration under the last Labour government totalled nearly four million, two thirds from outside the European Union. Yvette Cooper now says
- [Student 'Scams' provide yet another back door into Britain | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/student-scams-provide-yet-another-back-door-into-britain-migration-watch-uk/) - Further evidence that current procedures are failing to prevent major scams within the immigration system is revealed in a new report out today from think-tank Migrationwatch. Research by the group into Home Office statistics reveals serious doubts about the number of students being allowed to extend their stay in Britain, raising concerns that it is
- [Overseas student route a back door to Britain | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/overseas-student-route-a-back-door-to-britain-migration-watch-uk/) - Migration Watch UK has challenged the call by 70 University Chancellors, in a recent letter to the Prime Minister, for overseas students to be taken out of the migration statistics. This would achieve nothing except to destroy public confidence in the government’s immigration policy while any significant expansion of foreign students could blow the government’s
- [Comment by Kiran Bali on Changes to Family Migration | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-by-kiran-bali-on-changes-to-family-migration-migration-watch-uk/) - Following the release of today's Census results, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, commented: "This is the clear result of Labour’s mass immigration policy which brought nearly four million immigrants to England and Wales in ten years. Immigration on this scale is completely unacceptable to the vast majority of the public and is
- [MW263 : Immigration – How to Achieve the Government’s Target | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw263-immigration-how-to-achieve-the-governments-target-migration-watch-uk/) - The real problem with immigration is that non-EU migrants are failing to return home. That is the conclusion of a study published today by Migration Watch UK. Over the past ten years non-EU migrants have been arriving at the rate of about 300,000 a year but have only been leaving at about 100,00 a year. The Migration
- [The Latest Net Migration Statistics | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-latest-net-migration-statistics-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting on the latest net migration statistics released by the ONSthis morning Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: 'You cannot expect to repair 15 years of mismanagement in 15 months, but it is worrying news that net migration is still running at a quarter of a million a year. There is no sign
- [Immigration Rule Changes Will Have No Impact On Future Leaders Overseas | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-rule-changes-will-have-no-impact-on-future-leaders-overseas-migration-watch-uk/) - Claims that changes to the student visa rules would mean that future foreign leaders would no longer study in Britain were denied today by Migration Watch UK. The House of Commons Library have produced a list, quoted in a Home Affairs Committee report, of 47 Heads of State and notable individuals who have studied in the United
- [MW261 : Response to the National Union of Students International Students’ Committee | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw261-response-to-the-national-union-of-students-international-students-committee-migration-watch-uk/) - Thank you for your e-mail of 23 April. Migration Watch UK is an independent think-tank which focuses on the public policy issues involved in migration. As we are not part of the government we have no role in individual cases of the kind you highlight. These are part of the operational work of the UK
- [NHS Risks Becoming ‘World Health Service’ as Lax Controls are Admitted | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/nhs-risks-becoming-world-health-service-as-lax-controls-are-admitted-migration-watch-uk/) - The Government has admitted that access to the NHS for anyone outside the UK and EU is so lax that, say campaigners, it leaves it wide open to abuse. In a written Parliamentary reply, Simon Burns MP, the Minister of State for Health, confirmed that there is no formal requirement for anyone to provide documentation
- [The Allocation of Social Housing to Foreign Nationals in London](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-allocation-of-social-housing-to-foreign-nationals-in-london/) - The proportion of social housing in London being allocated to foreign nationals may well be much higher than the public has been led to believe. That is the conclusion of a paper issued today by think-tank Migrationwatch. When this issue last received public attention in 2009, the IPPR produced a report for the Equality and Human Rights
- [Boris Advertises Foreign Access to the National Health Service | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/boris-advertises-foreign-access-to-the-national-health-service-migration-watch-uk/) - A new booklet issued by the Mayor of London detailing how groups including illegal immigrants and foreign visitors can access the NHS - whether or not they are entitled to use it - has been branded an ‘absolute disgrace’ by think-tank Migration Watch UK, which is demanding its immediate recall. It is estimated that there are
- [MW259 : Asylum and Temporary Admission | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw259-asylum-and-temporary-admission-migration-watch-uk/) - For a general discussion of the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees together with the New York Protocol of 1967, (together referred to in this paper as “the Convention”) you are referred to Legal Legal Paper MW “Asylum Seekers – a serious case of misunderstanding” and also to the definitions of “asylum”, “asylum seeker”,
- [Benefits Regime Makes UK Attractive Destination for East European Migrants  | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/benefits-regime-makes-uk-attractive-destination-for-east-european-migrants-migration-watch-uk/) - The British benefits system makes the UK an extremely attractive destination to East Europeans. That is the conclusion of a research paper out today. The paper, ‘Incentives for Polish migration’ from think tank Migration Watch UK, focuses on Poles who are the largest component of migration from the East European countries that joined the EU in 2004.
- [Comment on the National Audit Office report on student immigration | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/comment-on-the-national-audit-office-report-on-student-immigration-migration-watch-uk/) - Today the NAO published a report into the student immigration system. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: "The NAO have lifted the lid on a scandal to which we have been pointing for several years. This report is a shocking indictment of the student visa system introduced by the previous government. The NAO
- [The NHS and Migrant Labour](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/the-nhs-and-migrant-labour/) - Summary 1 The health and social work sector employs one in seven of all immigrants in the UK, and was the biggest employer of migrants between 2002 and 2008; many originated in less developed countries with much poorer and under resourced health care systems. 2 A principal ethical concern is that, while migratory flows of
- [MW255 : Immigration and the Demand for Water in England | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw255-immigration-and-the-demand-for-water-in-england-migration-watch-uk/) - Summary 1 Population increase is one of the key drivers influencing the demand for water. The additional 6.3 million people who are expected to live in England over the next 25 years as a result, directly or indirectly, of net international migration, could increase the demand for water by almost 850 million litres a day
- [MW254 : British Council Report on Student Visa Changes | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw254-british-council-report-on-student-visa-changes-migration-watch-uk/) - Migration Watch comments Introduction 1. On 9th February 2012, Professor Jo Beall, Director of Education and Society at the British Council, spoke on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about a report issued by the Council which examined the experience of Australia and the United States in tightening their visa restrictions for students. She suggested that changes
- [Family Migration; Overwhelming Support for Reform | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/family-migration-overwhelming-support-for-reform-migration-watch-uk/) - The public overwhelmingly support the government’s key proposals for the reform of family migration. That was the result of an opinion poll published by Migration Watch UKtoday. 83% supported the suggestion that British immigration officers should interview applicants in their own country to make sure that the relationship is a genuine one. The poll found strong
- [MW251 : European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) - Article 8 | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/mw251-european-convention-on-human-rights-echr-article-8-migration-watch-uk/) - This Article states: 1 Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. 2 There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the
- [Chief Inspector’s Report into Asylum Detained Fast Track System | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/chief-inspectors-report-into-asylum-detained-fast-track-system-migration-watch-uk/) - Today, the Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency published a reportinto the Detained Fast Track System. Commenting Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "This is a constructive report. It underlines the value and effectiveness of the Fast Track system. Some improvements are of course necessary but the system is absolutely vital
- [Two Thirds of Births in London are to a Foreign Born Parent | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/two-thirds-of-births-in-london-are-to-a-foreign-born-parent-migration-watch-uk/) - Today it was revealed, in response to a parliamentary question from the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Soames MP, Co-Chairman of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, that in 2010 two thirds of all births in London are to parents where one or both are foreign born. This rises to 84% in Newham and 81% in Westminster.
- [Response to the Institute of Directors on Student Immigration Reforms | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-the-institute-of-directors-on-student-immigration-reforms-migration-watch-uk/) - In response to the statement issued by the Institute of Directors on the student visa reforms Sir Andrew Green commented: “The Institute of Directors' statement is deeply misleading and self serving with an arrogant disregard not only for public opinion generally but also for the 20% of recent British graduates who are still unemployed. It is particularly absurd
- [Response to Home Office Statement on Student Visas | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/response-to-home-office-statement-on-student-visas-migration-watch-uk/) - Today the Home Office issued a statement on planned changes to the student immigration route to which Universities UK responded. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green said: "With 20% of recent British graduates unemployed it beggars belief that Universities UK want still more foreign graduates to be able to stay on and work. These new regulations need
- [Migration Watch UK Comment on Migration Advisory Committee's report on the shortage occupation list and nurses | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-migration-advisory-committees-report-on-the-shortage-occupation-list-and-nurses-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting, Mr Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "This report confirms all that we have been saying. The need for foreign nurses is a clear result of the disgraceful failure of governments to train the nurses we need. We keep being told that the NHS would collapse without immigration. The truth is that
- [Youth Unemployment and Immigration: More than a Coincidence Says Report | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/youth-unemployment-and-immigration-more-than-a-coincidence-says-report-migration-watch-uk/) - A new report has highlighted the ‘remarkable coincidence’ between the rise in youth unemployment in the UK and the huge surge in immigration from Eastern Europe over the last eight years. The report by think-tank Migration Watch UK shows that there is an apparent correlation between this surge and the surge in UK youth unemployment that followed.
- [Taxpayer Funds £1m a week UK Visitor Appeals Process ‘Outrageously Generous System’ Must End Says Think Tank | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/taxpayer-funds-1m-a-week-uk-visitor-appeals-process-outrageously-generous-system-must-end-says-think-tank-migration-watch-uk/) - The present situation, in which anyone refused a visa to visit family in the UK can appeal at no expense to themselves, is now costing the UK taxpayers some £50m a year and must be brought to an end immediately, says think tank Migration Watch UK in a report (Briefing Paper No {245}) out today.
- [Think-Tank had Immigration Figures Spot on Almost 10 Years Ago | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/think-tank-had-immigration-figures-spot-on-almost-10-years-ago-migration-watch-uk/) - Figures just out show that the number of migrants coming to Britain in the decade ending next year was correctly predicted by think tank Migration Watch – almost 10 years ago. In 2002 the then newly launched organisation warned that "on current trends we can now expect a net inflow to Britain of at least
- [ONS Data Confirms UK Population to Hit 80 Million by 2056 | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/ons-data-confirms-uk-population-to-hit-80-million-by-2056-migration-watch-uk/) - Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “ONS data todays confirms the shocking fact that the UK population is projected to hit 80 million by 2056, overtaking Germany in the process – despite having far less space – to become the most populous nation in the EU. We must get net migration down
- [Government Decision to Extend Transitional Controls for Romanian and Bulgarian Workers | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-decision-to-extend-transitional-controls-for-romanian-and-bulgarian-workers-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This is absolutely the right decision. With 2.5 million people unemployed, it would be absurd to open our borders yet again to more unskilled workers. “ Notes to Editors: In 2006, the population of Romanian and Bulgarians nationals was just under 30,000. In the year
- [Government Housing Proposals | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/government-housing-proposals-migration-watch-uk/) - Commenting on the housing proposals unveiled by the government, Sir Andrew Green said: "An astonishing aspect of the housing debate is the deafening silence on the impact of immigration. The extra 16,000 houses promised by the government today will meet less than a quarter of the annual demand from new immigrant households. One good way
- [93% of immigrants come to England – the sixth most crowded country in the world | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/93-of-immigrants-come-to-england-the-sixth-most-crowded-country-in-the-world-migration-watch-uk/) - 93% of immigrants to the UK live in England. That is the conclusion of research by Migration Watch UK. Of the 7.1 million foreign born people living in the UK, 6.6 million live in England. As for the latest projections for population growth, 86% is expected to occur in England. Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of
- [Immigration Petition Reaches 100,000 Signatures in Just One Week | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/immigration-petition-reaches-100000-signatures-in-just-one-week-migration-watch-uk/) - The e-petition to the Government calling for the population of the UK to be stabilised at below 70 million has achieved 100,000 signatures in just seven days – one of the fastest to achieve this goal since the initiative was launched. The petition reached 100,000 at 19.30. The petition, launched by think tank Migration Watch
- [Migration Watch UK Comment on YouGov Poll | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-yougov-poll-migration-watch-uk/) - A new YouGov pollout today has found that 79% of adults in England consider England to be crowded; with 37% saying it is ‘very crowded.’ Only 3% believe that it is not crowded, whilst 15% think that England is about right. The figures were higher for London (85%) and the rest of the South (81%) while
- [Migration Watch UK Comment on Points-Based System | Migration Watch UK](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/migration-watch-uk-comment-on-points-based-system-migration-watch-uk/) - A Points-Based System would be hopeless for the UK Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: The issue is confidence in the government’s intention to reduce immigration from the EU. This is what the public voted on, not on a particular system. In fact the Prime Minister was right to indicate

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- [Fiscal](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/fiscal/)
- [Finance](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/finance/)
- [Pensions](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/pensions/)
- [Costs](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/costs/)
- [Africa](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/africa/)
- [Asylum](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/asylum/)
- [Refugees](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/refugees/)
- [Iran](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/iran/)
- [Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/migration/)
- [Europe](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/europe/)
- [EU](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/eu/)
- [European](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/european/)
- [Polling](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/polling/)
- [ONS](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/ons/)
- [Somali](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/somali/)
- [Prosperity Institute](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/prosperity-institute/)
- [ECHR](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/echr/)
- [Reform](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/reform/)
- [Care Workers](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/care-workers/)
- [Boriswave](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/boriswave/)
- [Channel Crossings](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/channel-crossings/)
- [Small Boats](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/small-boats/)
- [Local Elections](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/local-elections/)
- [Elections](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/elections/)
- [Democracy](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/democracy/)
- [glossary](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/glossary/)
- [Yerevan](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/yerevan/)
- [Armenia](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/armenia/)
- [Migration Watch](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/migration-watch/)
- [Salary Thresholds](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/salary-thresholds/)
- [Work Visas](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/work-visas/)
- [Social Care](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/social-care/)
- [Demographic Change](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/demographic-change/)
- [White British Minority](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/white-british-minority/)
- [Net Migration](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/net-migration/)
- [Henry Nowak](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/henry-nowak/)
- [Crime](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/crime/)
- [Demographics](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/demographics/)
- [White British](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/white-british/)
- [Pupils](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/pupils/)
- [Students](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/students/)
- [Schools](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/schools/)
- [Brexit](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/brexit/)
- [European Union](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/tag/european-union/)

## Prime Minister

- [Keir Starmer](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/keir-starmer/)
- [Rishi Sunak](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/rishi-sunak/)
- [Liz Truss](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/liz-truss/)
- [Boris Johnson](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/boris-johnson/)
- [Theresa May](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/theresa-may/)
- [David Cameron](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/david-cameron/)
- [Gordon Brown](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/gordon-brown/)
- [Tony Blair](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/prime_minister/tony-blair/)

## Party

- [Conservative](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/party/conservative/)
- [Labour](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/party/labour/)
- [2010 Coalition Government](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/party/2010_coalition_government/)
- [Liberal Democrat](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/party/liberal-democrat/)
- [SNP](https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/party/snp/)