Migration from Eastern Europe slams into reverse (but overall net total’s above 270,000)
NET migration from the EU has fallen to its lowest level for six years.
Figures showed that 87,000 more EU migrants came to this country than left in the year to March – a slump of more than half from the peak of 189,000 in the 12 months before the Brexit referendum in June 2016.
For the first time, more citizens from Poland and seven other Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 left the UK than arrived – a sign that the huge influx sparked when Tony Blair threw open the nation’s doors is at an end.
But net migration from all parts of the world remained stubbornly high at 271,000 – almost three times the Government’s target of 100,000.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the difference between those leaving Britain and those arriving was up by 28,000 year on year. But statisticians said this was due to flaws in previous estimates of student immigration.
Critics pointed out that total net migration was equivalent to a city the size of Southampton – shining a spotlight on Theresa May’s long-standing commitment to cut the figure to the ‘tens of thousands’.
Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of the MigrationWatch think-tank, said: ‘It is extremely disappointing that net migration from outside the EU has risen by about 30 per cent and now stands at nearly a quarter of a million. The Government should have been able to reduce this inflow as they have long promised.’
Net migration from the EU8 countries which joined the EU in 2004 – Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia –was minus 2,000, with 45,000 arriving and 47,000 leaving.
Migrants coming to the UK from 14 wealthier states such as Germany, Italy and France fell by 24,000 to 45,000, while the figure for Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2014, dropped by 5,000 to 38,000.
The ONS report showed that an estimated 614,000 immigrants came into the country and 344,000 people left to live abroad.
Matthew Fell, policy director at business group the CBI, said the fall in net EU migration will be a ‘real concern for businesses that are already struggling to fill vacancies and plug skills gaps’.
Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said: ‘The figures show net migration has fallen from its peak levels. But we know there is more to do if we are to meet our aim of reducing net migration to sustainable levels.’
PREDICTABLY, the pro-migration CBI and the anti-Brexit lobby were wailing in anguish over figures showing a fall in arrivals from the EU (even though they are only back to the 2012 level).
What they ignore is that net migration has barely changed, and at 270,000 a year is still adding the equivalent of the population of Southampton every year.
The reason? Non-EU migration has risen significantly, raising worrying questions about ministers’ determination to hit the tens of thousands target.
For many Mail readers, the most jawdropping figure will be for births to mothers born outside the UK. From 21 per cent a decade ago, that figure now stands at nearly three in ten. Truly, that is a sign of extraordinary demographic change.