UK net migration hits record high of 606,000

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Person arriving in the UK

According to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the country’s total population grew by 606,000 in the year ending March 2023. This means for the first time ever, an estimated 1.2 million people arrived in the UK for long-term immigration. 164,000 more people arrived in 2022 than in 2021, mainly due to new visa routes created for nationals of Ukraine and Hong Kong. There was an increase in asylum seeker applicants in 2022, rising to 76,000.

net migration increasing

The UK population growth in 2022 was led mostly by unique events including the recovery of Covid-19, new arrivals from Ukraine and Hong Kong, and the rise in asylum seekers crossing the English Channel. In 2022, 1.2 million people arrived in the UK for long-term immigration purposes, an increase of 221,000 compared to 2021. Non-EU nationals accounted for 80% of total immigration at 925,000, this is an increase of 287,000 from the previous 12 months. EU national arrivals is estimated at 13% or 151,000, which is a 45,000 decrease from 2021. British nationals returning back to the UK was 8% or 88,000. About 114,000 arrivals to the UK were from Ukraine and about 52,000 were from Hong Kong.

Most Popular WOrk Visas

There is a number of visas available to work in the UK, the two most popular are the Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker. The Skilled Worker visa attracted 69,423 to the UK, while the Health and Care Worker visa brought an estimated 101,570 in the year ending March 2023.

man and woman celebrating being granted a skilled worker visa UK
For UK employers to sponsor skilled workers to live in the UK full time. You must have a job on the occupations list and meet the salary requirements for your role.
UK nurses
For the NHS or private employers to sponsor medical professionals to work in the UK. You must have a job on the occupations list and meet the salary requirements for your role.

Countries of Origin

Work related visas granted for Non-EU nationals in the year ending March 2023 was 235,000.

The most popular visa route in 2022 was the Health and Care Worker visa which attracted 101,570. India remained the top nationality with 29,725 newcomers, followed by Nigeria 17,596 and Zimbabwe 17,421.

The Skilled Worker visa seen a 59% increase from 2021, attracting 69,423 arrivals. India remained the top nationality with 21,837 arrivals, followed by the USA 3,848 and the Philippines 3,124.

Work related visas granted for EU nationals in in the year ending March 2023 was 62,000.

Record number of students

In the year ending March 2023, there were around 480,000 new international students in the UK, which is a 22% increase from the previous 12 months. The most popular pathway is the Student Visa.

Study related visas granted for Non-EU nationals in 2022 was 361,000.

Indian nationals were the largest single group with 138,532 student visas granted, an increase of 53,429 from the previous 12 months. Chinese nationals followed this with 100,397 and Nigerian nationals at 57,636.

Study related visas granted for EU nationals in 2022 was 39,000.

French, German and Spanish nationals accounted for over 50% of the European population of students arriving in 2022. The total European arrivals in the past 12 months was 22,457.

Occupations in demand

Despite the increase in work visa sponsorship, there is still a skill shortage in many sectors. The below table shows the most in demand occupations as of June 2023.

Occupation codeJob types included on the shortage occupations listAreas of the UK where there is a shortageAnnual salary (80% of going rate)
1181Health services and public health managers and directors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £33,040 (£16.94 per hour)
1242Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £22,640 (£11.61 per hour)
2111Chemical scientists – only jobs in the nuclear industryScotland only80% of going rate: £22,800 (£11.69 per hour)
2112Biological scientists and biochemists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £24,480 (£12.55 per hour)
2113Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the construction-related ground engineering industry:
engineering geologist
hydrogeologist
geophysicist		England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour)
2113Physical scientists – only the following jobs in the oil and gas industry:
geophysicist
geoscientist
geologist
geochemist
technical services manager in the decommissioning and waste areas of the nuclear industry
senior resource geologist and staff geologist in the mining sector		England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,080 (£13.37 per hour)
2114Social and humanities scientists – only archaeologistsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £20,480 (£10.50 per hour)
2121Civil engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,760 (£14.24 per hour)
2122Mechanical engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,400 (£13.54 per hour)
2123Electrical engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £31,440 (£16.12 per hour)
2124Electronics engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,120 (£13.91 per hour)
2126Design and development engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,280 (£13.99 per hour)
2127Production and process engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,600 (£13.13 per hour)
2129Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,720 (£13.70 per hour)
2135IT business analysts, architects and systems designers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £30,080 (£15.43 per hour)
2136Programmers and software development professionals – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £27,200 (£13.95 per hour)
2137Web design and development professionals – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £21,440 (£10.99 per hour)
2139Information technology and communications professionals not elsewhere classified – only cyber security specialistsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,680 (£13.17 per hour)
2216Veterinarians – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,960 (£13.83 per hour)
2425Actuaries, economists and statisticians – only bio-informaticians and informaticiansEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,880 (£13.78 per hour)
2431Architects – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £26,320 (£13.50 per hour)
2461Quality control and planning engineers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £25,280 (£12.96 per hour)
3111Laboratory technicians – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £15,120 (£7.75 per hour)
3411Artists – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £16,400 (£8.41 per hour)
3414Dancers and choreographers – only skilled classical ballet dancers or skilled contemporary dancers who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK ballet or contemporary dance companies.
The company must be endorsed as being internationally recognised by a UK industry body such as the Arts Councils (of England, Scotland or Wales).		England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £16,960 (£8.70 per hour)
3415Musicians – only skilled orchestral musicians who are leaders, principals, sub-principals or numbered string positions, and who meet the standard required by internationally recognised UK orchestras.
The orchestra must a full member of the Association of British Orchestras.		England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £24,960 (£12.80 per hour)
3416Arts officers, producers and directors – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £23,360 (£11.98 per hour)
3421Graphic designers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £18,400 (£9.44 per hour)
5215Welding trades – only high integrity pipe welders, where the job requires 3 or more years’ related on-the-job experience. This experience must not have been gained through illegal working.England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £18,480 (£9.48 per hour)
6145Care workers and home carers – private households or individuals (other than sole traders sponsoring someone to work for their business) cannot sponsor Skilled Worker applicantsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern IrelandNo going rate – the salary must be at least £20,960 per year or £10.75 per hour
6146Senior care workers – all jobsEngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland80% of going rate: £14,880 (£7.63 per hour)

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