4. Migration for work remains the most common reason for migration

Immigration to the UK for all types of work increased between 2012 and the year ending June 2016 to a peak of 312,000, but has been lower since and is now 242,000. The decrease was largely accounted for by a fall in the number of EU citizens arriving looking for work, with 37,000 in the year ending June 2018, down from 82,000 at the peak two years earlier. However, there has also been a rise in the number of non-EU citizens coming to the UK for work.

EU citizens coming to the UK for work continues to decrease

Figure 4: EU and non-EU long-term immigration for work-related reasons, UK, year ending June 2008 to year ending June 2018

Embed code Embed this interactive Copy

The number of EU citizens coming to the UK looking for work has stabilised in the last year for all EU groupings. This follows the decrease seen between the year ending June 2016 and June 2017 when the number arriving more than halved.

The number of EU citizens coming with a definite job was stable in the year to June 2017 while the number looking for work was falling. Since then the pattern has changed and in the latest year, to June 2018, the number with a definite job has decreased (down 32,000), particularly citizens of EU15 countries (down 26,000 to 34,000). The overall number of EU citizens coming to the UK for a definite job is now back to a level similar to those seen in 2013 and 2014, at 77,000 in the year ending June 2018 (Figure 4).

Foreign citizens require a National Insurance number (NINo) to work in the UK and NINo registration data can be used to provide another view of work-related immigration. International Passenger Survey (IPS) and NINo data continue to follow a similar trend, with a decrease since the year ending December 2016 in the number of new NINo registrations to EU citizens as reported in the last quarter. We will continue to monitor this trend across both data sources.

! Not all data sources are directly comparable. Users should be aware of these differences before drawing conclusions.

Large fall in the number of EU nationals in employment in the UK

Office for National Statistics (ONS) also produces estimates of the labour market activity of the resident population in the UK by nationality and country of birth.

The most recent labour market statistics show that there was a fall in the number of EU citizens working in the UK. The IPS data have shown falling numbers of EU citizens arriving for work-related reasons.

For the period July to September 2018 the labour market release shows:

there were 2.25 million EU citizens working in the UK, which was 132,000 fewer than for the previous year and is the largest annual fall since comparable records began in 1997

there were also 1.24 million non-EU nationals working in the UK, 34,000 more than the previous year

! The number of migrants working in the UK is not a measure of how many people migrate to work. While the Labour Force Survey (LFS) data appear consistent with the IPS migration flows, users should not use the LFS employment trends as a measure of migration flows. The best measure of total migration flows into and out of the UK is the Long-Term International Migration (LTIM) estimates. Not all data sources are directly comparable and users should be aware of these differences before drawing conclusions.

Non-EU citizens coming to work remains stable in recent years

Figure 5: Non-EU work-related long-term immigration trends by data source, UK, year ending June 2008 to year ending June 2018

Embed code Embed this interactive Copy

Looking at all available sources (Figure 5) comparing the IPS with work visas and NINos, we conclude that immigration of non-EU citizens for work has remained broadly stable since 2015 and seen a small gradual increase since 2013 following a steady fall from the early to mid-2000s.

According to the IPS, the number of non-EU citizens coming to the UK for work has increased to levels last seen in 2006 but viewed alongside the visa data the IPS appears to have underestimated immigration for work in 2006.

Although non-EU immigration for work has remained fairly stable since 2015, there has been an increase in the immigration of Asian, particularly South Asian, citizens over the last year for work-related reasons. The IPS shows an increase for those coming with a definite job.

The latest comparable Home Office data (to the year ending September 2018) for work visa grants for 12 months or more also saw an increase (7%). Visa grants for Tier 2 (Skilled) account for more than half of all work visas and saw an increase of 15% compared with the year ending September 2017, in particular, there were increases for Indian nationals.

There was also an increase in the number of certificates of sponsorship used in applications for Tier 2 (Skilled) work in the human health and social work sector (up 45% in the year ending September 2018). This is likely relating to an increase in the number of doctors and nurses coming to the UK following the removal of doctors and nurses from the Tier 2 cap.