U.K.(Washington Insider Magazine) – The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal that net migration to the UK in the year to June 2024 stood at 728,000, marking a 20% decrease compared to the 906,000 net migrants in 2023.
This drop is larger than anticipated, as the 2023 estimate was revised up from 740,000 to 906,000, highlighting an even sharper contrast in migration trends.
In total, 1.2 million people arrived in the UK in 2024, while 479,000 people left, leading to the net migration figure of 728,000.
Who Came to the UK?
Among the 1.2 million arrivals in the UK between June 2023 and June 2024:
- 58,000 (5%) were British nationals.
- 116,000 (10%) came from the EU+ (EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland).
- 1.0 million (86%) were from non-EU countries.
Breakdown of Non-EU Migration:
- 82% (845,000) were of working age (16-64 years).
- 17% (179,000) were children under 16.
- 8% (84,000) were asylum seekers.
Among non-EU migrants, Indian nationals were the largest group arriving for both work (116,000) and study (127,000).
Key UK Immigration Rule Changes in 2024
1. Student & Graduate Visa Reforms
- Total student visas issued: 432,225 (13% drop from 2023).
- Student dependent visas: 94,253 issued, a 39% drop due to new restrictions.
- Dependents are banned for most postgraduate students (except research programs).
- A graduate visa allows students to stay 2 years (or 3 years for PhD holders) to work.
2. Skilled Worker Visa & Salary Threshold Increases
Most non-UK nationals must apply for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system.
- New salary threshold: £38,700 (previously £26,200).
- Exemptions: health & social care workers, teachers, and shortage occupation roles.
- The previous shortage occupation list was replaced with the immigration salary list in 2024.
3. Family Visa Changes & Income Threshold Adjustments
- A family visa is required to live with a British citizen or a UK resident for over six months.
- The income threshold was set to increase to £38,700 but was later reduced to £29,000 following criticism.
- Who can apply? Spouses, partners, children, parents, or dependent relatives.
4. Health & Social Care Visas Decline
- 89,095 health & social care visas issued (26% drop from 2023).
- Dependents per worker fell sharply after new rules restricted family members from joining.
5. Seasonal Worker & Temporary Visa Rules
- 47,000 visas issued in 2024, including 45,000 for horticulture and 2,000 for poultry work.
- Workers cannot switch to a permanent job or bring family members.
- 76% of seasonal workers came from Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan).
How Brexit Changed Immigration
Since 1 January 2021, free movement between the UK and the EU ended, requiring EU nationals to apply for visas.
Net Migration by Region (June 2024):
- Non-EU migration: +845,000
- EU migration: -95,000 (more EU nationals left than arrived).
- British migration: -21,000 (more British citizens left than returned).
This highlights that non-EU nationals are now the dominant source of migration to the UK.
