The government has today made clear its commitment to bring down
historically high levels of net migration as new statistics
released today show net migration grew almost 5 times higher in
the space of 4 years to a record level of almost one million and
is still 4 times higher than it was before the pandemic.
Order is being restored to a broken immigration system. Upon
taking office, the Home Secretary set out a new approach to end
the over-reliance on international recruitment and boost economic
growth to link the UK's immigration, labour market, and
skills systems to train up our homegrown workforce. At the
same time, she also confirmed that changes made to key visa
routes earlier this year would remain in place to drive down
levels further.
Since early July, enforced returns of foreign offenders and
failed asylum seekers are at their highest level in half a
decade, up nearly 30% on the same period last year, in the first
3 months of the new administration, as the government delivers on
plans to ramp up the removal of those with no right to be here.
This includes a 25% increase in foreign criminals removed
compared to last year – sending a clear message to criminals that
if you break the law, you will not be allowed to stay. Those
removed were guilty of a range of offences, including drug
offences, theft, rape and murder.
Figures published today also show a collapse in asylum decisions
in the first half of 2024. By the time the new government took
over in July, asylum decisions were down over 70% and asylum
interviews were down over 80% compared to the start of the year.
Since then, the government has taken immediate action to
accelerate asylum decision-making and increase returns of those
with no right to stay.
Home Secretary, , said:
In the space of 4 years, net migration rose by almost 5 times to
a record high - that shows the serious damage that was done to
the immigration system, the lack of proper controls in place, and
the over-reliance on a big increase in overseas
recruitment.
Net migration is still 4 times higher than it was at the
beginning of the last Parliament and we are clear that it needs
to come down. That is why we are continuing with visa
controls and setting out new plans to link them to the system for
training and skills here in the UK to tackle the big increase in
overseas recruitment over the last few years.
Migration has always been an important part of UK history and our
economy, but the system needs to be properly managed and
controlled.
We are also taking action to get a grip on the broken asylum
system where decisions had collapsed in the first half of this
year. As a result of the action we have taken over the last few
months, returns for those who have no right to be here are now at
their highest level in years and the new Border Security Command
is working to go after the criminal smuggler and trafficking
gangs.
The fall in net migration comes as the government set out today
further plans to bolster the immigration system by targeting
those who abuse it. The new crackdown will see unscrupulous
employers, who repeatedly flout visa rules or commit serious
employment breaches, barred from hiring from overseas as they
have their visa sponsorship licenses refused or
revoked.
The government yesterday confirmed all eligible non-Europeans
visitors can now apply for an electronic travel authorisation
(ETA) and will need one to travel to the UK from 8 January 2025.
ETAs will enhance border security whilst making travel more
efficient. Eligible Europeans can apply for an ETA from 5 March
2025 to travel to the UK from 2 April 2025.
