Commenting on the latest immigration and visa statistics
released this morning, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said:
“The latest immigration figures are very good news. Net
migration is down by 89,000 on the previous year and the government have
achieved this without harming the business or university sectors.
University applicants are up by 5% on the previous year and skilled
visas applicants by 7%.
The key now is outflows. Non-EU outflows have been largely
unchanged for ten years. A major effort is needed to ensure that people
leave when they should. This could bring the government close to its
immigration target.”
Notes to
Editors:
* ONS Migration
Statistics Quaterly Report, May, 2013 URL:http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_309123.pdf
* In the year ending March 2013, there were 42,112 Tier 2 visa
applications, an increase of 7% on the previous year when there were
39,501.
* University visa applications increased from 150,136 in the
year ending March 2012 to 157,241 in the year ending March 2012.
* Net migration in the year ending September 2012 was
153,000, down from 242,000 in the year ending September 2011.
* 'Non-EU outflow in the year ending September 2012 was
111,000. Annual non-EU outflow has remained between 101,000 (YE end
December 2007) and 126,000 (YE December 2006) over the last ten years.'