‘Brexodus’ alert as net migration from EU hits low

New figures revealed ahead of post-Brexit immigration white paper

Net migration from the EU to the UK has fallen to its lowest in nearly six years.

Official statistics show an estimated 74,000 more EU nationals came to live in the country for at least 12 months than left in the year to June.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is not good news for Scotland, given our real need to attract skills and talent to work here.”

The first minister described the drop as “another tangible example of Tory ideology actively harming Scotland’s national interests”.

Data was also published yesterday of Scotland’s population by nationality in the year to June 2018.

Of Tayside and Fife’s 773,000 residents, 34,000 were born outside of the UK, according to the National Records of Scotland.

That is 4% of the Courier Country population, compared with 7% in Scotland as a whole.

The net migration figure of 74,000 is the lowest

September

65,000.

Non-EU net migration was at its highest since 2004, with 248,000 more non-EU citizens arriving than departing, the Office for National Statistics said.

Overall, net long-term international migration was 273,000, almost three times the government’s target of fewer than 100,000.

Net migration from the so-called EU8 nations which joined the bloc in 2004, including Poland and the Czech Republic, was minus 14,000 in the year to June.

The figures come as the government prepares to publish its much-delayed proposals for Britain’s post-Brexit immigration system.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid told a committee this week: “Whether we have a successful deal with the European Union, or whether we leave with no deal, we are still going to have a new immigration system and the white paper will talk to that new immigration system.” since 2012, the year ending when it stood at

The soft fruit industry could suffer as a result of migration from the so-called EU8 nations returning a negative net figure.