Annual migration to the UK falls to 685,000 in 2023

Annual net migration to the UK dropped to 685,000 in 2023, down from a record high of 764,000 in 2022. However, officials cautioned that it is too early to declare this a downward trend, a key issue in Britain's upcoming July 4 election.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who unexpectedly announced the election on Wednesday, is currently trailing the opposition Labour party in the polls. Sunak has consistently vowed to reduce both legal and illegal migration to Britain. In contrast, Labour leader Keir Starmer criticized the high levels of legal migration into the country in November, describing them as "shockingly high."

The latest figures, released on Thursday, indicate a reduction from the revised 2022 total of 764,000, up from an initial estimate of 745,000. Despite this decrease, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) noted that it is premature to determine if this marks the beginning of a sustained decline.

Eight years after the Brexit referendum, in which Britain voted to leave the European Union to "take back control" of its borders, migration continues to be a contentious political issue, set to dominate the election debate. In 2015, the year preceding the Brexit vote, net migration to Britain was 329,000.

Sunak has proposed measures to combat illegal migration, including sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. To curb legal migration, he introduced new rules this year, such as preventing international students from bringing family members, raising the salary threshold for skilled worker visas, and restricting care workers from bringing in dependents.

However, sectors such as health, social care, and hospitality have criticized these rules, citing difficulties in recruiting British workers. Universities have also warned of potential financial losses if the number of international students decreases.

According to the latest ONS data, more people arriving from outside the European Union in 2023 came for work, overtaking study as the primary reason for long-term migration. Nearly half of these workers came from India or Nigeria, primarily to work in the health and social care sectors.