Number of EU migrants coming to the UK falls to a six-year low

THE number of EU migrants coming to the UK has fallen to 87,000 – the lowest level in six years and the first time it has dipped below 100,000 since 2013. Net migration from the EU peaked in the year ending June 2016 at 189,000 but it has been falling almost ever since.

The 87,000 figure is the lowest recorded since March 2013 when it was 95,000 and is only marginally higher than the 82,000 recorded in December 2012. Despite the continued drop in the number of EU migrants coming to Britain, the overall number of people moving to the UK remained at just under 300,000.

The latest figures for the year ending March 2018 show overall net migration was 270,000, broadly similar to the previous two estimates from December 2017 and September 2017 when it was 282,000 and 274,000 respectively.

The data, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show the Government is still nowhere near hitting its target of reducing net migration to the UK to the tens of thousands.

The ONS said the drop in EU migration could largely be attributed to a reduction in the number of people coming to work in Britain from countries including France and Germany.

It added that the main decrease between 2016 and 2017 was in EU citizens moving to the UK looking for work. But the most recent decrease is believed to be down to a fall in the number of European workers coming to the UK with a job already lined up.

Nicola Rogers, from the ONS, said: “Today’s figures show that around 270,000 more people are coming to the UK than leaving, so net migration is continuing to add to the UK population. Net migration has been broadly stable since peak levels seen in 2015 and 2016. Looking at the underlying numbers we can see that EU net migration has fallen, as fewer EU citizens are arriving in the UK, and has now returned to the level last seen in 2012.

“Much of the recent fall is in people from the western European countries that make up the ‘EU15’ group coming to the UK for a definite job. Previously we had seen a decline in the number of EU citizens coming who were looking for work, however, this seems to have stabilised.”

The publication of the data comes after Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, suggested the Government could drop its pledge to cut net migration to less than 100,000 after Brexit. Dr Fox said Theresa May’s ambition of cutting the overall number of people coming to the UK to tens of thousands remained in place “at the moment”.

But he said ministers “will be reviewing what we do post-brexit”. Downing Street rebuked Dr Fox and said the Government remained “committed to bringing net migration down to sustainable levels – the tens of thousands”.