Migration Observatory

International students entering the UK labour market Migration Observatory This analysis examines international students staying in the UK for work after their studies, and the jobs they do - including in the care sector.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

Student Migration to the UK - Migration Observatory This briefing examines non-european student migration to the UK including where they come from, their characteristics, who sponsors them, and how many eventually settle in the country.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

New ONS data: % of intl students who stay in the UK has continued to increase.
More are switching to other visas - 2 yrs after arrival, 62% of students who arrived in YE June 2023 had switched, up from 17% among YE June 2020 arrivals.
Our previous analysis on this linked below

New Home Office stats show a big increase in the processing of asylum claims - which should be good news, but will add big strain to an already stretched tribunals system which will have to deal with an additional tens of thousands of appeals.

Migrant Settlement in the UK - Migration Observatory How many migrants are granted settlement, ILR or 'settled status', the cost of settlement and info on the Brexit EU Settlement Scheme.

As always, in the full briefing, we take a look at much, much more. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

Settlement rates are expected to increase. One indication is that 82% of migrants who arrived in 2022 still had leave 2 years later, the highest share of any cohort in the past 20 years.

This is before we consider the impact of govt's earned settlement proposals, which will reduce settlement rates.

The majority of non-EU migrants who arrived during the past two decades did not go on to acquire settlement.

Settlement rates were much higher for family migrants (approx. 80%) than for work migrants and students (approx. 25% and 15%, respectively).

How many UK migrants get settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain?

We answer that question, and more, in our updated settlement briefing.

253. The truth about immigration - who is coming and who is leaving? Spotify video

Our director @msumption.bsky.social went on the Rest is Money to talk about her new book plus how migration affects public finances, employers, and UK workers. Catch up here open.spotify.com/episode/3dqC...

This is exciting! Our director, the brilliant @msumption.bsky.social, has written this super accessible and interesting book What is Immigration Policy For? (Spoiler alert: it’s complicated). Pre-order in the next three days for 25% off! Out on March 31 www.waterstones.com/book/what-is...

There's 25% off pre-orders today and tomorrow here

www.waterstones.com/book/what-is...

What is immigration policy for?

Our wonderful director, @msumption.bsky.social, answers this question in her new book.

You can pre-order Madeleine’s book using the code FEB26 for 25% off. Offer ends 20 Feb.

🔗https://www.waterstones.com/campaign/february-pre-order-offer #WPreorder

What is immigration policy for?

Our wonderful director, @msumption.bsky.social, answers this question in her new book.

You can pre-order Madeleine’s book using the code FEB26 for 25% off. Offer ends 20 Feb.

🔗https://www.waterstones.com/campaign/february-pre-order-offer #WPreorder

Can the government boost domestic training by restricting migration?

In a new briefing, @msumption.bsky.social and I find that migrants on work visas are a small part of a much wider picture. Here's what you need to know, in three posts.

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

This is exciting! Our director, the brilliant @msumption.bsky.social, has written this super accessible and interesting book What is Immigration Policy For? (Spoiler alert: it’s complicated). Pre-order in the next three days for 25% off! Out on March 31 www.waterstones.com/book/what-is...

New monthly visa data out today. Visa applications falling, but dependants continue to be surprisingly high compared to number of main applicants

What is the Youth Mobility Scheme and how does it work? - Migration Observatory This commentary answers some common questions about immigration to the UK through Youth Mobility Schemes.

Talks on a UK/EU Youth Mobility Scheme are "very advanced", according to the EU Commissioner for finance.

Our commentary tells you everything you need to know about Youth Mobility Schemes, including how agreements have affected net migration

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

Exciting news for immigration data nerds: Home Office will resume publishing exit check statistics probably this year, according to Jon Simmons - former Home Office immigration stats guru - speaking at Lords Justice & Home Affairs Committee this morning
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

Hong Kong BN(O) Migrants Panel Survey Wave 2 Result Seminar Discover Wave 1 & 2 findings of the BN(O) Panel Survey on 11 Feb 2026. Panels on community and research findings. Join us for insights!

Around 185,000 Hong Kongers have come to the UK since 2021, after the BNO visa was created.

Join us on the 11th of February to find out how Hong Kongers are adapting to life in the UK.

Register here 👇
www.eventbrite.com/e/hong-kong-...

How migrants are buying fake jobs to stay in the UK illegally A burgeoning industry offers skilled worker visa sponsorships for positions that do not exist. A Times undercover investigation exposes those behind the schemes

www.thetimes.com/article/56b6...

A Times investigation has found that visa agents are selling Skilled Worker visas for positions that don't exist.

It's well worth reading the full article (link in the next post), but here's how it works.

EU Migration to and from the UK - Migration Observatory This briefing provides an overview of EU migration to and from the UK, including immigration and emigration of EU migrants, registrations for a National Insurance number (NINos), employment, and other...

More EU migrants have been leaving than arriving in the UK since '22, as the take-up of visas remains low among both workers and students. Yet EU migrants are doing better than other groups in terms of employment and earnings. Our updated overview below

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

Labour’s pledges on migration: the data - Migration Observatory This commentary examines the Labour government’s progress towards its goals on migration after a year in government.

Has Labour made progress on its migration pledges? Our new commentary assesses six commitments, from reducing net migration and small boat arrivals to clearing the asylum backlog and ending asylum hotels. Check it out:

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

Net migration to the UK - Migration Observatory An overview of net migration in the UK – defined as the difference between immigration and emigration of people moving for at least a year.

Not sure what to make of it all? Our briefing on net migration is a great place to start getting to grips with the big changes in migration to and from the UK in recent years.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

Family visa applications stabilised again in December after falling sharply in the last quarter of the year.

This category includes Family Reunion for refugees, which was paused in September 2025, explaining the abrupt fall.

There was a small uptick in skilled worker and health and care visa applications in December, after an overall downward trend throughout the year as a whole.

It's worth noting, as of July 2025, care workers are no longer eligible to apply for the health and care route.

Monthly entry clearance visa applications, December 2025

A happy new year to all! It was back to business as usual yesterday with new monthly visa figures, the Home Office's first migration stats release of 2026.

We can now see that total visas applications on the main routes in 2025 were down 12% on 2024 and 42% on 2023.

www.gov.uk/government/s...

2025: Review of the year - Migration Observatory A round up of the big moments in UK migration policy and developments from the rollercoaster that was 2025.

Well, that was quite a year!

Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

2025: Review of the year - Migration Observatory A round up of the big moments in UK migration policy and developments from the rollercoaster that was 2025.

Well, that was quite a year!

Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

It’s International Migrants Day, a good time to highlight our free Reporting Migration course for journalists and those working on migration in the UK, developed with NCTJ and the Open University: www.nctj.com/cpd-courses/... - offering a grounding in history, law, policy and data.