International migration: latest statistics and research update

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International migration: latest statistics and research update

25 May 2023

Today the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a package of population and international migration releases; accompanied by a blog, which provides context on progress to date and plans for the future.

Below we provide an overview and links for each of the individual publications:

  • International migration hits new high in 2022 but there are signs of change - a blog by Jay Lindop
  • Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2022
  • Population and migration estimates - exploring alternative definitions: May 2023
  • International migration research, progress update: May 2023 
  • Methods to produce provisional long-term international migration estimates
  • Admin-based long-term international migration quality and methodology Information.

International migration hits new high in 2022 but there are signs of change

In her blog, Jay Lindop, Deputy Director of the Centre for International Migration, provides context to the migration numbers released today, including key drivers and improvements to methods.

Read the blog

Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2022

For the period to year ending December 2022, net migration added to the UK population with a total of 606,000 more people arriving than departing. Most people arriving were non-EU nationals.

In this release we provide experimental and provisional estimates of UK international migration from up to year ending December 2022, going back five years to 2018.

See the release

Population and migration estimates - exploring alternative definitions: May 2023

This article focuses on alternative ways that we could define populations and migration flows and we want to know what estimates you require.

A consultation will be launched in June 2023 which will ask users about a new approach to measuring the population. Details on the consultation will be promoted in due course; please send any immediate feedback on the options set out in this article to pop.info@ons.gov.uk

Read the article

International migration research, progress update: May 2023 

In this article we provide an update on the research we have been undertaking through our migration statistics transformation programme to develop admin-based migration estimates (ABMEs). The article describes the incremental quality improvements and expanded range of statistics with the implementation of measuring asylum applicants, resettlement scheme arrivals and irregular migration.

Read the article

Methods to produce provisional long-term international migration estimates

In this article we provide an update on the methods used to produce provisional international migration estimates, including an explanation of why we cannot count people in and out at the border.

Read the article

Admin-based long-term international migration estimates quality methodology information

A paper detailing the strengths and limitations of the data, methods used, and data uses and users.

Read the article

Jay Lindop

Jay Lindop is head of the Centre for International Migration.You can follow Jay on Twitter for the latest in migration statistics news @JayLindop_ONS.

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