Migration to Britain is changing – before it even leaves the EU 28 February 2019 Britain’s labour market is undergoing a huge shift in terms of migrant workforce, despite overall levels of net migration remaining stable since the EU referendum, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday) in response to the latest ONS quarterly migration figures. The Foundation notes that while overall net migration remained stable at 283,000 in the year to September 2018, big shifts are taking place beneath this headline figure. Net EU migration has fallen to its lowest level in a decade – to 57,000. This has been driven by a fall in work-related inward migration – down 40,000 to 100,000 – bringing net EU migration for work down to 40,000. In contrast, migration from the rest of the world has reached a 15-year high, driven by an increase in the number of international students. Stephen Clarke, Senior Economic Analyst at the Resolution Foundation, said: “While UK politicians are seemingly unable to provide any clarity on where Britain is heading post-Brexit, EU migrants are increasingly doing so – by leaving. “EU migration is now at its lowest level in a decade – a fall that is being driven by fewer EU migrants coming to the UK for work. In contrast, migration from the rest of the world is close to a record high, though many of these migrants are coming to study rather than work. “Post-Brexit Britain’s migration system is still to be decided, and is years away from coming into effect. But many areas of the labour market – particularly firms in high-turnover sectors like hospitality who are reliant on the free movement of EU workers – are going to have to adjust to lower migration well before the new system is in place.”
