Long-term international
migration, provisional: year ending December 2023
MP, Labour's Shadow Home
Secretary, responding to today's net migration figures,
said:
“These figures show the total Tory chaos and failure on
immigration as net migration has more than trebled since and his party promised to get
it down at the last election.
“14 years of Conservative failure on both the economy and
immigration has led to around a 50 per cent increase in work
migration in the last year alone because they have disastrously
failed to tackle skills shortages. The Tories can't even manage
to clean up their own chaos.
“Labour will bring in proper plans to link the points-based
immigration system with boosting skills here at home.
“This general election is a choice - more chaos with the
Conservatives, or a Labour government that can fix the chaos and
get a grip on the immigration and asylum system again. It's time
to turn the page on Tory chaos and deliver real change
with Labour.”
Ends
Notes:
- New ONS estimates of long-term net migration (year ending
December 2023) and Home Office immigration and asylum statistics
(year ending March 2024) were published today:
-
- These statistics show:
-
- Net migration has more than trebled since the 2019
election to 685,000 in 2023
- Net migration for work has increased from 277,000 to
423,000
- Work visas granted to main applicants have increased by
130% compared to 2019.
IPPR responds to migration
stats
Today's statistics from the Home
Office reveal that:
-
ONS figures published today reveal
that net migration in the year ending December 2023 remained
high at 685,000. The figures are mainly driven by large numbers
of grants of Health and Care Worker visas and student
visas.
-
However, numbers now appear to be on
their way down. In the first four months of 2024, Health and
Care Worker main applicant grants have dropped sharply by 76
per cent compared to the same period in 2023. There has also
been a sharp drop in student dependants, due to new
restrictions the government imposed at the beginning of the
year.
Responding to the statistics,
Marley Morris, IPPR associate
director for migration, trade and communities,
said:
“Net migration remained
exceptionally high in 2023 but is set to fall, possibly quite
sharply, in the year ahead.
"The reality is there are some
tough choices on immigration which will need to be grappled with,
whoever wins the upcoming election. Crude cuts could exacerbate
staff shortages in health and care and imperil university
finances.
"Sharp falls in visa grants will
require the government to urgently address the structural issues
underpinning recent high migration – both our model for higher
education and poor conditions in the social care
sector.
