Net migration still dropping - still mostly down to the drop in international students

28 May 2013

Yet again, reports have been published that show the number of immigrants coming to the UK has fallen. Good news for the government who pledged to drastically cut net migration in the run up to the next election. Indeed, Immigration Minister Mark Harper responded to the figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) saying that "the figures show we have cut out abuse". But is this really true?

 

Almost half of long-term migrants state study as their reason for coming to the UK. As the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has indicated, the large decline in overseas students coming to the UK has played a large part in boosting these declining net figures. This is worrying for the following reasons:

1.COST AND REPUTATION DAMAGE - David Willetts, the Minister for Universities and Science, continues his work to encourage overseas students to study in the UK, which appears to be in direct conflict with the government's policy to reduce UK immigration. The London Met scandal has further damaged the UK's reputation as a primary destination for education. 50,000 fewer student migrants could cost the UK between £2-3 billion per year in economic contributions.

 

2. CUTTING OUT ABUSE? Chris Bryant, shadow immigration minister, is concerned about action against illegal immigration rather than numbers. Whilst the government's policy is having the greatest effect on international students, there is no mention of the action against the use of illegal (and also legal) workers by employers to undercut wages. This is a key worry for the UK, so are the figures really showing that abuse is being cut?

 

3. STUDENTS WRONGLY INCLUDED IN NET MIGRATION FIGURES - only around 15% of international students choose to remain in the UK at the end of their studies. Can we class them as 'long-term' immigrants? As we have previously discussed, students warp net migration figures. A cut in international students now will indeed show a cut in net migration, however there will then be fewer students in the UK who will leave in the next few years, so net migration figures are sure to increase again.

 

The government will continue to celebrate net migration drops, but in the long-term it seems the focus on curbing immigration is centred on numbers alone and not tackling abuse.



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