National statistics

How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently?

Updated 4 September 2023

‘Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2023’ contents page.

This is not the latest release. View latest release.

Data relates to the year ending March 2023 and all comparisons are with the year ending March 2022 (unless indicated otherwise). Additional comparisons are also provided with the pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period and for longer-term trends.

All data include dependents, unless indicated otherwise.

1. Extension of temporary stay in the UK

There were 640,418 grants of extension in the UK (including both main applicants and dependants) in the year ending March 2023, 53% more than in the year ending March 2022. Three-quarters of the increase in extensions in the latest year (75% of 221,276) were for work.

Table 1: Grants by reason¹ and refusals of extensions of temporary stay in the UK, years ending March 2022 and March 2023

Year ending	Total grants	Work	Study	Family	Other	Total refusals	Total decisions
March 2022	419,142	220,949	33,777	128,832	35,584	8,165	427,307
March 2023	640,418	386,602	66,153	134,259	53,404	11,861	652,279
Change: latest year)	+221,276	+165,653	+32,376	+5,427	+17,820	+3,696	+224,972
Percentage change	+53%	+75%	+96%	+4%	+50%	+45%	+53%

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes the new British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) route and cases where the category of grant has not been recorded. ‘Other’ also includes extensions granted to Ukrainian nationals and their family members on Ukraine schemes. For further information see the Statistics on Ukrainians in the UK.

1.1 Extensions for work

There were 386,602 grants of extension for work, up 75% in the year ending March 2023 compared to the year ending March 2022. Work is the most common route in which people extended.

Within the work category:

• ‘Worker’ (Skilled work) extensions - 247,111 granted of which 139,905 were to main applicants and 107,206 to the dependants of main applicants. Just over half (51%) of all main applicants were in the Human Health and Social Work Activities sector, 12% in Information and Communications, 10% in Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities and 7% in Financial and Insurance Activities; Sponsorship table CoS_D01 provides numbers in different industry sectors
• ‘Other work visas and exemptions’ - 130,138 granted, mainly reflecting 111,339 extensions granted in the Graduate category; Indian nationals accounted for over two-fifths (42%) of grants in the Graduate route in the year ending March 2023
• ‘Investor, business development and talent’ category – includes 4,165 grants under the Global talent route, an increase of 1,787 (+75%) on the year ending March 2022

1.2 Extensions for family reasons

There were 134,259 ‘family-related’ grants of extensions in the year ending March 2023, 4% more than in the year ending March 2022. In the year ending March 2023, there were 82,215 grants in the Family Life (10-year) route, 37% (+22,171) higher than in the year ending March 2022. There were 50,952 grants in the Family: Partner route, 25% (-16,622) lower than in the year ending March 2022.

Pakistani, Indian and Nigerian nationals accounted for nearly two-fifths (39%) of ‘family-related’ extensions granted, the same proportion as the year ending March 2022.

1.3 Extensions for study

‘Study-related’ extensions granted nearly doubled (+96%) in the year ending March 2023 to 66,153. The nationalities most likely to extend their stay for further study in the UK are consistent with the nationalities granted Student visas, with Chinese nationals accounting for nearly two-fifths (38% or 25,345) and Indian nationals 14% (9,223).

1.4 Extensions for other reasons

There were 53,404 extensions granted in the ‘Other’ category in the year ending March 2023, 50% more than in the year ending March 2022. The ‘Other’ category includes:

• the new Ukraine Schemes, both the Ukraine Extension Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme extensions, which account for around half (45% or 23,854) of grants of extension in the ‘Other’ category; further information on Ukrainians arriving in the UK this year can be found in the separate chapter Statistics on Ukrainians in the UK
• 5,538 extensions in the British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) route in the year ending March 2023; the BN(O) route accounted for 10% of extension grants in the ‘Other’ category; further information on arrivals with a BN(O) visa can be found in the How many people come to the UK topic
• 17,089 extensions granted in the Private Life category, accounting for nearly a third (32%) of grants of extension in the ‘Other’ category

1.5 Long-term trends in grants of an extension

Figure 1: Grants of extensions, by reason¹, years ending March 2011 to March 2023

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ excludes extensions granted to individuals who are unable to travel home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 (63,047 in the year ending March 2020 and 53,637 in the year ending March 2021)

Figure 1 shows that overall number of extension grants fell from 307,957 in the year ending March 2011 to 197,042 in the year ending March 2017. Since then, there has been an overall increase in extension grants with a rapid increase in the year ending March 2022 (to 419,142) and in the year ending March 2023 (to 640,418).

Grants of extensions in the ‘Study’ category decreased between the year ending March 2011 (140,342) and the year ending March 2017 (41,939) largely due to changes in policy. They have since remained stable in the following years until the year ending March 2023 when they rose to 66,153.

Grants of extensions in the ‘Family’ category increased between the year ending March 2011 (20,374) and the year ending March 2023 (134,259) largely due to the ‘Family and private life immigration rule changes’ implemented on 9 July 2012. These included the introduction of the Family Life (10 year) route and a requirement for successful applicants to apply for further leave every 30 months until eligible to apply for settlement.

Extensions in all remaining categories have greatly increased, particularly in the ‘Work’ category, which had 124,733 grants in the year ending March 2011, compared to 386,602 in the year ending March 2023. In the ‘Work’ category, the increase in extensions since the COVID-19 pandemic has been primarily driven by the requirements from the Human Health and Social Work sectors, and extension grants in the new Graduate work route.

2. Settlement

There were 126,313 grants of settlement in the UK in the year ending March 2023, 15% more than in the year ending March 2022.

In the latest year there were increases in settlement grants for:

• ‘Skilled workers’ (formerly Tier 2) - 12% higher than in the year ending March 2022 (25,193, up from 22,550)
• ‘other’ reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave - 20% higher than in the year ending March 2022 (17,753, up from 14,826); this is not equivalent to the ‘Other’ category of leave group outlined in table 2, which also includes ‘Private Life’ and ‘BN(O)’ routes, and a small number of cases where the category of grant has not been recorded
• asylum-related and resettlement reasons in the year ending March 2023 to 41,885, 45% more than the year ending March 2022; these changes will reflect patterns of grants in refugee status in earlier years; the ‘asylum’ category accounted for a third (33%) of settlement grants in the year ending March 2023 compared to just over a quarter (26%) in the year ending March 2022

In contrast, there was a decrease in settlement grants for family reasons, down 15% (-5,392) to 30,499.

Table 2: Grants by reason^1,2,3 and refusals of settlement in the UK, years ending March 2022 and March 2023

Year ending	Total grants	Work	Asylum	Family	Other	Refusals	Total decisions
March 2022	110,119	30,391	28,823	35,891	15,014	1,549	111,668
March 2023	126,313	35,461	41,885	30,499	18,468	1,982	128,295
Change: (latest year)	+16,194	+5,070	+13,062	-5,392	+3,454	+433	+16,627
Percentage change	+15%	+17%	+45%	-15%	+23%	+28%	+15%

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. The number of decisions in a given year can be affected by changes in casework resource allocation. Such fluctuations can be examined in more detail in the quarterly data that are available in the published Settlement tables.
2. Trends in numbers applying for settlement will in part reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier.
3. ‘Other’ includes grants on the basis of Long Residence and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a small number of cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

2.1 Long-term trends in grants of settlement

Grants of settlement numbers have been increasing year on year from year ending March 2017, but are still below the numbers of grants seen in the early 2010’s. Trends in numbers applying for settlement are explored in more detail below, but will in all cases partly reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier.

Figure 2: Grants of settlement in the UK, by reason¹, years ending March 2011 to March 2023

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. Reason relates to type of leave held immediately prior to being granted settlement.

Figure 2 shows the number of settlement grants fell from 227,146 in the year ending March 2011 to 58,559 in the year ending March 2017 but have since risen, reaching a total of 126,313 in the year ending March 2023.

Grants of settlement for ‘work’ reasons fell from 75,138 in the year ending March 2011 to 18,929 in the year ending March 2017 partly reflecting changes in the Immigration Rules. For details see the Policy and legislative changes affecting migration to the UK: timeline. Since then, there has been an overall increase in settlement grants to 35,461 in the year ending March 2023.

Grants for ‘family’ reasons also fell from 60,570 in the year ending March 2011 to 5,594 in the year ending March 2017, partly reflecting the change in the probationary period for settlement from 2 to 5 years, as well as falling levels of visas and extensions in previous years. As individuals on a 5-year route to settlement following the rule change became eligible to apply, the number of grants subsequently increased to 35,891 in the year ending March 2022 but have since fallen to 30,499 in the year ending March 2023. (Further information about the rules changes are available at: ‘Family and private life immigration rule changes 9 July 2012’).

Grants to people previously granted asylum or resettlement increased from 7,461 in the year ending March 2011 to 41,885 in the year ending March 2023, with large increases from the year ending March 2021, although these partly reflect a rise in ‘asylum’ grants around 2015 and 2016.

Grants for ‘other’ reasons (not relating to work, family or asylum) decreased to less than a quarter its number in the year ending March 2011, 83,977 to 18,468 in the year ending March 2023, though this was not a steady decrease and has been largely stable over the last decade, between 23,729 grants in the year ending March 2018 at its highest and 8,746 in the year ending March 2013 at the lowest.

3. EEA nationals and their family members

Since 30 March 2019, EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, and their family members, have been able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK.

The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

The latest quarterly statistics show that 7.2 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme had been received up to 31 March 2023, of which 7.1 million had been concluded.

Of the 7.2 million total applications received an estimated 6.1 million people have applied to the scheme, of which 5.6 million applicants had obtained a grant of status. Of the 6.1 million people applying to the scheme, 978,930 (16%) were repeat applicants.

It is estimated that a total of 5,626,500 EEA and 475,300 non-EEA nationals had applied to the EUSS up to 31 March 2023 (non-EEA nationals can apply as family members).

Further information and detailed breakdowns of EUSS applications and their conclusions can be found in the latest quarterly EUSS statistical release.

3.1 Documents issued

Under European (EU) law, EEA nationals and their family members did not need to obtain documentation confirming their right of residence in the UK, but EEA nationals could apply for registration certificates and documents certifying permanent residence in the UK. Their non-EEA family members could apply for residence cards and permanent residence cards which acted as confirmation of their right to stay in the UK.

Documents issued under EU law are no longer valid as evidence of a right of residence in the UK, but applications received by 31 December 2020 are still being processed. More information is available on the relevant visas and immigration pages.

Statistics of decisions on applications for residence documents relating to EEA citizens and qualifying non-EEA family members in the UK under EU law can be found for 2004 to March 2023 in tables EEA_01 and EEA_02 and for 2006 to March 2023 in the form of a detailed dataset. When the last applications for these documents are decided the data tables will no longer be updated but will still be available for reference.

4. Citizenship

4.1 Applications for British citizenship

There were 200,362 applications for British citizenship in the year ending March 2023, 11% more than in the year ending March 2022.

There were 47,607 applications for citizenship by EU nationals, 11% fewer than in the year ending March 2022. There were 152,755 applications for citizenship made by non-EU nationals, 20% more than in the year ending March 2022.

Figure 3: Number of applications for British citizenship from EU and non-EU nationals^1,2, years ending March 2013 to March 2023

Source: Citizenship detailed dataset Cit_D01

Notes:

1. Series are based on current EU membership; for example, Croatia (who joined the EU in 2013) are included in the EU total for the entire time series.
2. The high number of applications made in 2013 may have reflected people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline for details.

Figure 3 shows that the number of non-EU applications had remained at a similar level since 2014 before increasing in mid-2021, whilst EU applications increased up to mid-2021, but have decreased since then. EU nationals accounted for nearly a quarter (24%) of all citizenship applications in the year ending March 2023 compared to 12% in 2016. Increases in citizenship applications from EU nationals since 2016 will include people seeking to confirm their status in the UK following the EU referendum and the UK’s exit from the EU.

4.2 Grants of British citizenship

There were 181,480 grants of British citizenship in the year ending March 2023, 7% fewer than in the year ending March 2022. The recent peak of 208,095 in 2013 occurred prior to a change to the English language element of the ‘Life in the UK’ test.

Figure 4: Number of grants of British citizenship for EU and non-EU nationals, years ending March 2014 to March 2023

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

A quarter (25%, or 44,476) of the grants of British citizenship in the year ending March 2023 were to EU citizens, 22,623 or 34% fewer than in the year ending March 2022. Italian nationals were the top EU nationality granted citizenship in the year ending March 2023 (8,616), followed by Romanian (6,437), and Polish (5,827) nationals. These 3 nationalities accounted for almost half (47%) of the grants of British citizenship to EU nationals in the year ending March 2023.

There were 137,004 grants of British citizenship to non-EU citizens in the year ending March 2023, 8,770 or 7% more than in the year ending March 2022. The top non-EU nationals granted British citizenship in the year ending March 2023 were Indian (16,560), Pakistani (15,228), and Nigerian (8,804) nationals. These 3 nationalities accounted for almost a third (30%) of all grants to non-EU nationals in the year ending March 2023.

Table 3: Grants by reason¹ and refusals of British citizenship applications, years ending March 2022 and March 2023

Year ending	Total grants	Naturalisation (Residence and Marriage)	Registration (Children and Other)	Refusals and withdrawals	Total decisions
March 2022	195,333	142,298	53,035	4,166	199,499
March 2023	181,480	130,859	50,621	3,785	185,265
Change: (latest year)	-13,853	-11,439	-2,414	-381	-14,234
Percentage change	-7%	-8%	-5%	-9%	-7%

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets – Cit_D02 and underlying data

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds, and registration under Section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See the user guide for more details.

5. About these statistics

The statistics in this section refer to individuals who have leave to remain in the UK who wish to extend, or make permanent, their right to remain in the UK.

Before 2021, due to the application to the UK of European Union (EU) free movement law, the majority of UK immigration control related to non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. From 2021, unless otherwise stated, data in this release relate to both EEA and non-EEA nationals.

Data in this section should be viewed in the context of wider policy and legislative changes, which can impact the number of applications and decisions. They should also consider the availability and allocation of resources within the Home Office, which can affect the number of decisions made in a given period. For example, fewer citizenship decisions were made in 2015 when UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) resources were used to assist HM Passport Office.

The statistics should not be used to make inferences about the size of the non-British population in the UK. The data do not show whether, or for how long, an individual remains in the UK once their right to remain has been extended or made permanent. Statistics on resident foreign populations in the UK are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

5.1 Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Extensions of temporary stay in the UK relate to individuals inside the UK extending or changing the status of their right to stay in the UK. An individual is required to apply for an extension or change in status before their existing permission to enter or stay in the UK expires.

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for extension of temporary stay in the UK. One individual may have made multiple applications for an extension, so may account for multiple decisions in a given period. Data in this section include dependants and take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The statistics do not show the number of people applying to extend their temporary stay in the UK, nor do they show how long an individual stayed in the UK following their extension.

The statistics in the previous immigration category of students granted an extension were estimated for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. Data for 2017 are unaffected.

On the 31 March 2020, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government announced that NHS frontline workers visas would be extended. On 29 April 2020, it was announced that other frontline health and care workers would also receive visa extensions. Healthcare professionals whose visas were due to expire between 31 March 2020 and 1 October 2020 were given a free, year-long extension. On 20 November, it was announced that this had been extended to cover visas expiring between 1 October 2020 and 31 March 2021. On 9 April it was announced that this would be extended to cover visas expiring up until 30 September 2021. Home Office Management Information indicates that there was a total of 19,912 extensions granted to health workers and care workers and their dependants, under these policies.

Further information on the statistics in this section can be found in the extension section of the user guide.

5.2 Settlement

Settlement can be granted to individuals – subject to immigration control – to allow them to work, study and travel into and out of the UK without restriction. To be granted settlement, individuals generally must have lived in the UK for a certain length of time in a qualifying category. Those granted settlement can access state benefits and register their UK-born children as British citizens. It does not entitle the individual to a British passport (which requires British citizenship) or to vote in a general election (which requires British, Commonwealth, or Irish Republic citizenship).

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals in a given year on applications for settlement in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The data on settlement refusals relate to cases where settlement was refused and no other form of leave was granted. Cases where settlement was refused but an extension was granted instead (for example, where an individual has not met the qualifying period for settlement) will not be included in the refusal figure.

Individuals who leave the UK for more than 2 years may have their settlement status revoked, except in exceptional circumstances. The statistics do not differentiate between those granted settlement for the first time and those granted settlement multiple times.

5.3 EEA nationals and their family members

Documents issued under EU law are no longer valid as evidence of a right of residence in the UK. Applications received by 31 December 2020 and the outcomes of appeals are still being processed.

The EU Settlement Scheme enables EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. Further information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found at Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status). The scheme is a simple digital system which enables applicants to obtain, free of charge, settled status or pre-settled status in the UK. Find out more about what settled and pre-settled status mean.

The statistics in this section show the number of registration certificates and registration cards issued, and the number of documents certifying permanent residence and permanent residence cards issued in relation to applications made by 31 December 2020.

After 12 November 2015, a person applying for citizenship who was relying on permanent residence as an EEA national, or as the family member of an EEA national, was required to provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they met the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions. This change, along with EEA nationals’ response to perceived uncertainty following the 2016 EU referendum, is likely to have contributed to the steep increase in demand for EEA residence documentation during 2016 and 2017.

Variations in numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases, as well as policy changes and application levels in earlier periods.

Browse: Visas and immigration has more information about applying for residence documentation and how the status of EU citizens in the UK will be secured now the UK has left the EU.

Figures on applications received and cases currently outstanding in the European casework route (along with other information such as percentage processed within service standards) can be found in ‘In-country migration data’.

5.4 Citizenship

British citizens can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls. They can apply for a British passport, register to vote in all forms of election and referenda, and share in all the other rights and responsibilities of their status.

Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means people can be both a British citizen and a citizen of other countries.

If someone is not already a British citizen based on where and when they were born, or their parents’ circumstances, they can apply to become one.

The statistics in this section show the number of applications and grants for British citizenship.

In May 2023, the Home Office published the ‘Migrant journey: 2022 report’, which explores changes in non-EEA migrants’ visa and leave status as they journey through the UK’s immigration system.

6. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Extensions summary tables
• Detailed extensions datasets
• Settlement summary tables
• Detailed settlement datasets
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed Citizenship datasets
• European Economic Area (EEA) tables

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