net immigration reaches a record level in 2022 with 606,000 people

The UK saw record net immigration in 2022, with an additional 606,000 people, according to figures from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) released on Thursday (25 May). The new arrivals are mainly from countries outside the European Union (EU). According to the Office’s estimates, in 2022 there were 1.2 million arrivals to the UK while 557,000 people left the country.

“An unprecedented series of global events (…) and the lifting of restrictions following the coronavirus pandemic have resulted in record levels of international immigration to the UK”explains the ONS in a press release. “The main drivers of this increase are people coming to the UK from non-EU countries for work, study or on humanitarian grounds, including those coming from Ukraine and Hong Kong”adds the organization.

Most people who arrived in the UK in 2022 came from non-EU countries (925,000). EU nationals are in second place, with 151,000 people. These figures put pressure on the Conservative government, which had promised to reduce immigration and “take back border control” after Brexit. The government has also presented a plan to reduce the number of student visas in recent days.