A new annual report brought migration statistics from across the government statistical service together in a single publication. It illustrated why migrants came to or left the United Kingdom; where they had come from or were going to; where immigrants lived and their employment patterns; and people's movements between different parts of the United Kingdom. Net migration fell to 163,000 in 2008, from 233,000 in 2007 – the lowest level since the eight accession countries joined the European Union in 2004.
Source: Migration Statistics 2008: Annual Report, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034), Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | ONS press release | Home Office press release | Balanced Migration press release | UUK press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Nov
An article created a profile of those individuals who migrated to England and Wales from outside the United Kingdom at retirement age.
Source: Marcus Green, Maria Evandrou and Jane Falkingham, 'Older international migrants: who migrates to England and Wales in later life?', Population Trends 137, Autumn 2009, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article
Date: 2009-Sep
A think-tank report said that an increasing number of immigrants were staying for a short time and then leaving. Immigrants spending less than four years in the United Kingdom doubled between 1996 and 2007; and 85 per cent of migrants currently in the UK who took part in a survey said that they were only planning to stay for a short time.
Source: Tim Finch, Maria Latorre, Naomi Pollard and Jill Rutter, Shall We Stay or Shall We Go? Re-migration trends among Britain's immigrants, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Summary | IPPR press release | PWC press release | Telegraph report | Guardian report | BBC report | People Management report
Date: 2009-Aug
A study investigated the impact of economic fluctuations on the migrant stocks and flows in the United Kingdom. The stock of migrants depended on the speed of reaction to economic events and the net flow of migrants. Projections by the Office for National Statistics for years after 2015 were 'probably too large'. There should be a downward revision to migrant projections of around 360,000 by 2015 as a result of the global economic downturn, reducing trend growth by 0.1-0.15 per cent per year until 2015.
Source: Projections of Migration Inflows Under Alternative Scenarios for the UK and World Economies, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report
Date: 2009-Apr
A report said that levels of net lifetime migration to and from the United Kingdom in the previous two centuries had largely been determined by UK fertility levels.
Source: Danny Dorling, Migration: A long-run perspective, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Apr
An article examined estimates of the population by country of birth and nationality (published In August 2008). The proportion of the population born outside the United Kingdom had increased from an estimated 5.2 million in 2004 to 6.3 million in 2007, an increase of 21 per cent.
Source: Amy Ellis, 'UK resident population by country of birth', Population Trends 135, Spring 2009, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article
Date: 2009-Mar