National statistics

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

Updated 7 December 2023

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Data relates to the year ending September 2023 and all comparisons are with the year ending September 2022 (unless indicated otherwise).

All data includes dependents, unless indicated otherwise.

1. Extension of temporary stay in the UK

Statistics on extensions of stay relate to people wishing to extend or change the status of their stay in the UK either in their existing category or in a new category. An individual is required to apply for an extension or change in status before their existing permission to enter or stay expires.

There were 689,844 grants of extension in the UK in the year ending September 2023, 48% more than in the year ending September 2022, predominately due to people extending into work routes (which made up 68% of all extensions).

Since the year ending September 2017, there has been an increase in extension grants with a rapid increase in the year ending September 2022 (to 465,176) and in the year ending September 2023 (to 689,844).

Figure 1: Grants of extensions by reason¹, years ending September 2014 to September 2023

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01

Notes:

1. This chart does not include extensions granted to individuals who are unable to travel home because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to COVID-19 (116,678 in the year ending September 2020, and 6 in the year ending September 2021).

Figure 1 shows that overall number of extension grants fell from 247,362 in the year ending September 2014, to 201,224 in the year ending September 2017. Since then, excluding the period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in grants of extensions with a rapid increase in the year ending September 2022 (to 465,176) and in the year ending September 2023 (to 689,844). 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.

Details and key rule changes affecting the long-term trends in grants of an extension by route were published in the Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2023 release.

1.1 Extensions by reason

Table 1: Grants by reason^1,2 and refusals of extensions of temporary stay in the UK, years ending September 2022 and September 2023

Extension reason	YE September 2022	YE September 2023	Change	Percentage change
Total grants of which:	465,176	689,844	+224,668	+48%
Work	252,823	468,168	+215,345	+85%
Study	41,015	64,715	+23,700	+58%
Family	130,121	116,166	-13,955	-11%
Other	41,217	40,795	-422	-1%
Total refusals	8,674	15,223	+6,549	+76%
Total decisions	473,850	705,067	+231,217	+49%

Source: Extensions – Exe_D01

Notes:

1. The type of extension relates to the category into which the individual extended. Some individuals would have extended in their existing category, while some would have changed category.
2. ‘Other’ includes the British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) and Ukraine schemes and cases where the category of grant has not been recorded.

1.2 Extensions for work

Over the previous year, grants of extension into work routes increased by 85% to 468,168, primarily driven by an increase in people extending into the ‘Worker’ route and former students extending into the ‘Graduate’ route.

Work was the most common route into which people extended in the year ending September 2023. Two-thirds of those extending into work routes did so into the ‘Worker’ category (312,834). The ‘Worker’ category includes the Human Health and Social Work Activities sector which comprised 53% of main applicant extensions in this category. A further 10% were into the Information and Communications sector and 9% into Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities sector. Further breakdowns are in the Sponsorship table CoS_D01.

The Graduate route allows students to remain in the UK after completing their studies and accounted for just over a quarter (28%) of extensions into the Work category (129,187, up 81% on the previous year). Analysis of Migrant Journey: 2022 report data shows that one fifth (20%) of students whose leave expired in 2022 switched to the Graduate route following their studies.

1.3 Extensions for family reasons

There were 116,166 grants of extensions into family routes in the year ending September 2023, 11% fewer than the previous year.

In the year ending September 2023, 58% of extensions into family routes were in the Family Life (10-year) route (67,864, a similar number to the previous year). A further 41% (47,353) were into the Family: Partner route, 23% fewer than in the year ending September 2022, reflecting a decrease in the number of entry clearance visas issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Partner entry clearance visa is issued for 2 years and 9 months, after which an individual needs to apply to extend their stay in the UK.

Pakistani, Nigerian and Indian nationals accounted for nearly two-fifths (37%) of ‘family-related’ extensions granted, a similar proportion to recent years.

1.4 Extensions for study

Grants of extensions into Sponsored study routes increased by 58% in the year ending September 2023 to 64,715.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) used for sponsored study extensions shows that 93% of main applicants were for higher education (university) institutions in the year ending September 2023.

Chinese nationals accounted for over a third (35% or 22,428) and Indian nationals 14% (9,162) of extensions for study.

1.5 Extensions for other reasons

There were 40,795 grants of extensions into ‘Other’ categories in the year ending September 2023, similar to the year ending September 2022.

The Ukraine and British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) Schemes accounted for 25% and 18% of grants of extension into the ‘Other’ category respectively. Further information on Ukrainians arriving in the UK this year can be found in ‘Safe and legal (humanitarian) routes to the UK’.

The Private Life category accounted for nearly two-fifths (39%) of grants of extension in the ‘Other’ category.

2. Settlement

People in the UK who meet certain criteria may be entitled to settlement. This allows them to remain in the UK indefinitely.

There were 112,444 grants of settlement in the UK in the year ending September 2023, 12% fewer than in the year ending September 2022.

Grants of settlement numbers had been increasing year on year from year ending September 2017, but are still below the numbers of grants seen in the early 2010s.

Details and key rule changes affecting the long-term trends in grants of settlement by route were published in the Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2023, but changes in the number of people granted settlement 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 September 2011 to September 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 182,892 in the year ending September 2011 to 61,009 in the year ending September 2017 but have since risen, reaching a total of 112,444 in the year ending September 2023.

2.1 Settlement grants by reason

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

Reason	YE September 2022	YE September 2023	Change	Percentage change
Total grants of which:	127,695	112,444	-15,251	-12%
Work	30,053	39,629	+9,576	+32%
Asylum	47,521	26,460	-21,061	-44%
Family	32,301	31,583	-718	-2%
Other	17,820	14,772	-3,048	-17%
Total refusals	1,517	2,636	+1,119	+74%
Total decisions	129,212	115,080	-14,132	-11%

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. Trends in numbers applying for settlement will in part reflect policies and patterns of migration some years earlier.
2. ‘Other’ includes grants on the basis of Long Residence, Private Life, BN(O) routes and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a small number of cases where the category of leave immediately prior to the grant of settlement has not been recorded.

Within the work category, settlement grants for ‘Skilled workers’ (formerly Tier 2) increased by 21% to 27,314 grants in the year ending September 2023, compared to the previous year.

Settlement grants for asylum-related and resettlement reasons decreased by 44% to 26,460 grants in the year ending September 2023, compared to the previous year. This is a similar level to the year ending September 2018 (25,814). These changes will reflect patterns of grants in refugee status in earlier years. Analysis from the Migrant Journey: 2022 report shows that over two-thirds of people granted refugee permission since 2007 went on to get settlement between 5 and 6 years later, with 95% having some form of indefinite leave to remain within 7 years.

There were 31,583 grants of settlement to people on family routes in the year ending September 2023, a slight fall on the previous year (down 2% to 31,583).

Settlement grants to those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence or discretionary leave, decreased by 17% to 14,772.

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.

410,210 applications to the EU Settlement Scheme were granted either settled status or pre-settled status in the year ending September 2023.

EU Settlement Scheme grants decreased by 28% in the most recent year, compared to 570,220 grants in the year ending September 2022, and far lower than the first full year of the scheme (April 2019 to March 2020) when 2.9 million applications were granted.

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

4. Citizenship

People with British citizenship have the right to live and work in the UK without any immigration control and may apply for a British passport. British citizenship is defined by the British Nationality Act 1981. People may be eligible for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) for a number of reasons. Further details on eligibility can be found on GOV.UK.

4.1 Applications for British citizenship

There were 225,458 applications for British citizenship in the year ending September 2023, 23% more than in the year ending September 2022.

Of the applications for citizenship, around three-quarters (77%, 173,354) were from non-EU nationals, and one-quarter (23%, 52,104) were from EU nationals.

4.2 Grants of British citizenship

There were 181,879 grants of British citizenship in the year ending September 2023, 2% fewer than in the year ending September 2022.

There were 42,273 grants of citizenship to EU nationals, 20% fewer than in the year ending September 2022. There were 139,606 grants of citizenship made by non-EU nationals, 5% more than in the year ending September 2022.

Grants to non-EU nationals represented 77% of total citizenship grants, with the remaining 23% of grants coming from EU nationals. This is the lowest percentage of grants to EU nationals since 2017.

Figure 3: Number of grants of British citizenship for EU and non-EU nationals, years ending September 2013 to September 2023

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

Italian nationals were the top EU nationality granted citizenship in the year ending September 2023 (8,982), followed by Romanian (5,782), and Polish (5,433) nationals. These 3 nationalities accounted for almost half (48%) of the grants of British citizenship to EU nationals over that period and have consistently accounted for over 40% of grants to EU nationals each quarter since 2013.

The top non-EU nationals granted British citizenship in the year ending September 2023 were Indian (16,872), Pakistani (15,305), and Nigerian (8,249) nationals. These 3 nationalities accounted for almost one-third (29%) of all grants to non-EU nationals in the year ending September 2023.

Grants by reason and refusals of British citizenship can be found in the Citizenship summary tables.

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 the end of the transition period for the UK leaving the EU on 31 December 2020, EU nationals were able to come to the UK under freedom of movement and did not typically require separate permission (such as a visa). The majority of UK immigration control before 2021 related to non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. From 2021, EEA nationals became subject to immigration controls and are now more likely to obtain permission to travel to or remain in the UK. For many this will be under the EU Settlement Scheme (see EU Settlement Scheme statistics), while others will require a visa.

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. Availability and allocation of resources within the Home Office should also be considered. This 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 does 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).

More information about the statistics can be found in the user guide.

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 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. Data in this section includes dependants and takes 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 to 2016, and 2018. Data for 2017 is 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 on applications for settlement in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

The data on settlement refusals relates 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).

Statistics of decisions on applications for residence under EU law can be found in tables EEA_01 and EEA_02 and 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.

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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