National statistics

Summary

Published 25 August 2016

Valid: 25 August 2016 to 30 November 2016

Data relate to the year ending June 2016 and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2015, unless indicated otherwise.

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This release presents the latest immigration statistics from Home Office administrative sources, covering the period up to the year ending June 2016.

Estimates of the numbers of non-EU nationals migrating long-term to the UK, by reason for migration, are published by the Office for National Statistics, and available on their International migration website.

1. Key facts

1.1 Work

There were 93,935 Tier 2 skilled work visas granted in the year ending June 2016, 1% higher than the previous year (92,567), and 43,356 Tier 5 Youth Mobility and temporary visas granted, down 3% (-1,273). Of the 96,514 decisions made on entry clearance applications for skilled work, just 3% were refusals (2,388).

There were also fewer Tier 1 unsponsored work visas granted (-3,382; -43%). This was largely due to fewer grants in the Tier 1 Investor category, down 78% (-1,710), reflecting changes introduced to the category in November 2014 and fewer grants to dependants in routes now closed to new applicants (Tier 1 General -1,217; Tier 1 Post Study Work -38).

In the year ending March 2016, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates there were 71,000 non-EU long-term immigrants for work, an increase of 9% (+6,000) compared with the previous 12 months. However, this increase was not statistically significant. Over the same period, long-term (1 year or more) work-related visas granted to main applicants also rose, by 14% to 81,934 in the year ending March 2016, reflecting an increase in skilled work visas in the ‘Short-term Intra-company Transfer (ICT)’ category that were for exactly 365 or 366 days. The level and trend for non-EU long-term migrants and long-term work visas are similar over the longer term. There are nonetheless a number of reasons why the long-term immigration estimates and visas data may show different trends in the shorter term, including sampling variation and coverage; further details are given in the Work topic.

1.2 Study

In the year ending June 2016, there were 204,859 study-related visas granted, excluding the unsponsored Short-term student category (formerly known as Student visitors), a reduction of 5% (-11,848). Over the same period, the number of university-sponsored study visa applications (main applicants) fell slightly (-2% to 163,338). However, there was a 5% increase for Russell Group universities to 76,026. There were also falls for the Further Education (-8% to 15,848), English Language school (-25% to 2,445) and Independent school (-1% to 13,719) sectors. Most of the fall in the Further Education sector’s sponsored visa applications since the peak in mid-2011 was accounted for by licenses which have since been revoked.

In the year ending March 2016, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that there were 111,000 non-EU long-term immigrants coming to study and who had an intention to remain a year or more, a 17% fall (-23,000), which is statistically significant.

1.3 Family

There were 38,805 family-related visas granted in the year ending June 2016, 10% higher (+3,646) than the previous year (35,159). There was also a 17% increase (+4,747) in EEA family permits issued abroad to 32,850, facilitating entry of non-EEA family members. However, there was a 13% fall (-10,043) in visas granted to dependants (excluding visitor visas) joining or accompanying migrants in other routes (65,514).

In the year ending March 2016 (the latest provisional data available), estimates from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) showed that 47,000 non-EU nationals immigrated long-term to the UK to accompany or join others, that is with the intention of staying for a year or more. This was no change from the previous 12 months (47,000). Those arriving to accompany or join are not directly comparable with visa categories, but will include both family-related migration and potentially dependants of other migrants, as explained in the Family topic.

1.4 Asylum

Asylum applications in the UK from main applicants increased by 41% to 36,465 in the year ending June 2016, the highest number of applications since the year ending June 2004 (39,746). Numbers of asylum applications in the first two quarters of 2016 (8,228 in January to March and 7,810 in April to June) have been considerably lower than in the last two quarters of 2015 (10,231 in July to September and 10,196 in October to December), although still higher than the same quarters a year earlier. In the year ending June 2016, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,910), followed by Iraq (3,199), Pakistan (2,992), Eritrea (2,790), Afghanistan (2,690) and Syria (2,563). Most applications for asylum are made by people already in the country (90% of applications in the year ending June 2016) rather than immediately on arrival in the UK at a port.

There were 1,936 grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection to Syrian main applicants at initial decision in the year ending June 2016. In addition, 2,682 people (including dependants) were granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). On 7 September 2015, an expansion to the existing Syrian VPRS was announced. Through this expansion it is proposed that 20,000 Syrians in need of protection be resettled in the UK by 2020. A total of 2,898 people have been resettled since the Syrian VPRS began, including 2,646 arriving since October 2015. A total of 3,439 people were resettled in the UK in the year ending June 2016 under the Syrian VPRS, the Gateway Protection Programme and the Mandate Scheme.

Estimated figures show the UK had the eighth highest number (44,000) of asylum applications within the EU in the year ending June 2016, including dependants. Germany (665,000), Sweden (149,000) and Hungary (131,000) were the three EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications, together accounting for 63% of asylum applications in the EU in that period.

1.5 Passenger arrivals and visitors

The total number of passenger arrivals increased by 4% to a record 125.2 million in the year ending June 2016 (+4.7 million). This increase was accounted for by 4.4 million more arrivals by British, other EEA and Swiss nationals (up 4% to 110.0 million) and 0.3 million more arrivals by non-EEA nationals (up 2% to 15.2 million), compared with the previous 12 months. These numbers represent the number of occasions when a person entered the UK, not the number of distinct individuals.

Data for the calendar year 2015 show total number of passenger arrivals increased by 5% to 123.3 million. This increase was accounted for by 4.9 million more arrivals by British nationals (up 7% to 72.4 million), 0.7 million more arrivals by other EEA and Swiss nationals (up 2% to 35.7 million) and 0.6 million more arrivals by non-EEA nationals (up 4% to 15.3 million), compared with 2014.

The number of non-EEA visitors increased by 3% (+0.3 million). Over a quarter (29%) of all non-EEA visitor arrivals were made by United States nationals.

There were 16,147 (-1%) fewer visitor visas granted to citizens of non-EEA countries in the year ending June 2016 at around 1.9 million. There were notable increases in visitor visas granted to Chinese nationals, up 18% (+64,758 to 432,251, excluding Hong Kong), and Indian nationals, up 6% (+19,836 to 376,499).

1.6 Returns

Enforced returns from the UK decreased by 9% to 12,846 in year ending June 2016 compared with the previous 12-month period (14,093). This includes 11,311 enforced removals and 1,535 other returns from detention.

In the year ending June 2016, there were 26,985 voluntary returns (excluding returns from detention) compared to 25,856 in the previous 12-month period.

The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed increased by 9% in year ending June 2016 to 18,249 from 16,725 in year ending June 2015. The number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departing has been increasing since 2012.

In the year ending June 2016, provisional data show there were 5,891 returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs), using enforcement powers or via deportation. This is the highest number since the series began in 2009 and reflects increasing use of other forms of foreign national offender returns, including those where an offence was committed outside the UK.