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 of this year was 45,000, of whom around 10,000 arrived in that quarter. This suggests that our estimate of a 50,000 a year increase in the UK population of these citizens will be broadly correct.
It is also very significant that the number of non-EU students recorded as departing in the IPS last year was only 50,000, compared to an average inflow over the last five years of 155,000. This suggests that students staying on legally or otherwise comprise a major part of net migration. This issue of the missing students is one that absolutely must now be tackled.”