“Take back control.” This three-word slogan from the Brexit campaign encapsulated the desire to regain control of the UK’s immigration policy and end the free movement of EU citizens. However, years after Brexit, the UK is experiencing some of its fastest population growth since the 1960s, with immigration emerging as a key issue in the upcoming general election. So, what has happened?
To understand the current state of immigration in the UK, the seaside town of Skegness offers valuable insights. Here, more than three-quarters of the population voted to leave the EU. In discussions about immigration, the focus often falls on those entering the UK illegally. “Stop the Boats,” a key pledge by the Conservative party, targets the tens of thousands of people making dangerous journeys across the English Channel in small boats.
Even though no boats have landed on the beaches of Skegness, the issue remains a concern for the town. Some seafront hotels have been used to house asylum seekers while their claims are processed. Although they have since been moved out, local concerns about the impact of migration persist. One resident remarked, “They don’t bother us at all,” but added, “The general view within the Skegness area is that people don’t want them here.”
Despite these perceptions, the record surge in immigration is not primarily driven by illegal arrivals. In 2022, the net migration figure, which is the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the UK each year, reached a record high of 745,000. In 2023, this figure was around 672,000, with only 30,000 people arriving via small boats.
The vast majority of immigrants enter the UK legally. Individuals like Kiki Ekweigh, who works at an assisted living complex in Skegness, exemplify this trend. Originally from Nigeria, Kiki came to the UK to study but decided to stay and work. “Working as a carer is not an easy job. You need to be mentally balanced, empathetic, and very patient,” she explained.
Students and health and care workers like Kiki accounted for about two-thirds of the visas issued last year. According to the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, they have been the primary drivers of net migration increases since the 2010s.
The significant rise in immigration numbers, which former Prime Minister Boris Johnson once called “scandalous,” largely results from deliberate government policy decisions. Foreign students pay much higher fees, effectively subsidizing domestic students. If their numbers decline, UK students may have to pay more, universities could face financial difficulties, or the government might need to increase funding—none of which are popular options.
Additionally, many sectors of the UK economy, particularly health and social care, face severe labor shortages. Of the 1.5 million people working in the National Health Service (NHS), one in five are foreigners. Despite the increase in immigration, the health sector still had 150,000 vacancies last year.
While Brexit has coincided with increased immigration, it has reduced the number of EU nationals coming to the UK. In the 12 months leading up to June 2023, net EU migration was -86,000, meaning more EU nationals left the UK than arrived. However, this decline has been offset by arrivals from the rest of the world. Approximately 250,000 people came from India, and just under 150,000 from Nigeria. China, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe were also significant sources of new arrivals.
Despite the overall rise in legal immigration, illegal arrivals dominate political discussions in the UK. With the election period underway, “Stop the Boats” has become a frequent campaign slogan. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made it one of his top five priorities, proposing a plan to send some asylum seekers who arrive illegally to Rwanda. The opposition Labour party, however, has vowed to abandon this plan, instead proposing the establishment of a new Border and Security Command to help remove failed asylum seekers. The recently created Reform party has promised a zero-tolerance approach, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.
The UK is broadly in line with other comparable high-income countries regarding migration. In 2022, 14% of the UK population was foreign-born, similar to the US and the Netherlands. However, countries like Canada, New Zealand, and Australia have much higher proportions of foreign-born residents. In Australia, for example, the foreign-born population is about twice that of the UK.
Returning to the original question: why is UK net migration so high, eight years after leaving the EU? The reality is that migration is driven by more than just the freedom of movement. The UK economy needs migrants, regardless of political rhetoric. Reducing the number of arrivals would require difficult trade-offs, which the government is reluctant to make.
Illegal migration, especially via dangerous routes, is something all parties oppose, hence the focus of the discussion. Back in Skegness, Kiki is aware of these issues as she walks past the town’s seafront attractions. “I watch the news, so it’s not that I don’t know what’s happening,” she said when asked about the immigration debate. “If people have negative impressions, they don’t understand the situation, in my opinion. I don’t think they are really aware of the reality of what is happening. Many people are vulnerable here and need care. I feel they are misguided in their thinking.”
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