The Immigrant Times reporting from Europe
> EU votes for 'return hubs' without naming host countries
> Sweden to introduce 'Honest Living' test for migrants
> British government moves to soften immigration crackdown
> Europe must prepare for refugee surge
While the EU Parliament has backed ‘return hubs’ for failed asylum seekers, there is no agreement about where, how and what. The standards of hubs or camps can range from basic tent cities to ones offering individual cooking and sanitary facilities.
EUROPEAN UNION
EU Parliament backs ‘return hubs’ for failed asylum seekers, but no country has agreed to take deportees
March 2026: The European Parliament has approved sweeping new deportation rules that would allow rejected asylum seekers to be sent to detention centres outside the bloc, but critics warn the move risks creating ‘legal black holes’ where rights cannot be guaranteed.
Members of the European Parliament voted 389 to 206, with 32 abstentions, in favour of a measure to ease the establishment of migrant detention centres outside the European Union, known as ‘return hubs’. The vote marks a significant step in a broader tightening of Europe's immigration architecture, though the regulation still faces a further round of negotiations before becoming law.
The Return Regulation would streamline the return process of rejected asylum seekers across the EU. Its most controversial element is the introduction of return hubs, detention facilities located outside of the EU's borders, designed to hold people whose asylum cases have been refused or who have been deemed unauthorised to remain in the EU. Under the current system, people without legal status are generally allowed to remain in EU territory until they are deported. Under the new law, people would instead be forcibly removed to facilities in non-EU countries whilst awaiting their final deportation.
The regulation also introduces stricter rules, including the fast-tracking of asylum claims from certain nationalities and extended detention periods of up to 24 months. The European Council, representing the EU national governments, overturned in December 2025 an earlier exclusion of families with children from being sent to return hubs, now permitting their transfer alongside adults.
The hubs would operate through bilateral agreements between individual EU member states and host governments, with no overarching EU-wide binding framework. Only about 20 per cent of people ordered to leave the EU are currently returned to their country of origin, a figure supporters of the regulation repeatedly cited as justification for the reform.
The committee vote confirmed a trend of the European People's Party (EPP) siding with the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the far-right Patriots for Europe (PfE) and Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) on all migration-related files. The result was also supported by some members of the liberal Renew Europe group. Centre-left and left-wing parties, along with the Greens, largely opposed the measure, though some Socialists voted for or abstained.
The legislation deliberately leaves host countries unspecified, with arrangements to be handled through bilateral deals. Initial research by the Immigrant Times suggests that negotiations about the placement of ‘return hubs’ might involve the following non-EU countries.
Albania is the most established precedent. Italy has been routing arrivals to Albanian detention centres since striking a bilateral deal praised by Prime Minister Meloni as a model for Europe. However, the arrangement has faced legal challenges and seen slow uptake. EU interior ministers endorsed Albania as one potential hub location in December 2025, alongside Serbia and North Macedonia.
Uganda has been a focus of Dutch and German interest. A working group consisting of Germany, Greece, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands has formed within the EU to establish joint return hubs, with Uganda among the locations repeatedly discussed.
Rwanda has also attracted attention. Germany is in talks with Rwanda to replicate the now-abandoned UK scheme, though the status of those negotiations remains unclear. Rwanda has separately indicated openness to such arrangements, having agreed to accept deported migrants from the United States.
Tunisia is frequently mentioned as a candidate, though it carries serious caveats. The UNHCR's Director of International Protection has stated ‘serious protection concerns in Tunisia and Libya’, describing them as ‘not safe countries for refugees and asylum seekers right now’.
Libya has also appeared in press reports as a possibility, despite being a country in which torture and systematic violence against women, migrants, and opposition members are widely documented.
Denmark has additionally initiated talks on corresponding agreements with Ethiopia and Egypt, so far without concrete results.
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SWEDEN
Sweden moves to deport migrants who fail ‘Honest Living’ test
March 2026: Sweden's right-wing government has announced plans to introduce legislation that would require migrants to demonstrate what it calls an ‘honest living’, or face the withdrawal of their residence permits and potential deportation. The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday (24 March), marks one of the most far-reaching shifts in the country's immigration policy since the coalition came to power in 2022.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell presented the bill at a press conference, framing it as a matter of shared civic responsibility. "Following laws and rules is a given, but it must also be a given that we do our best to live responsibly and not harm our country," he told journalists.
The minister was also at pains to acknowledge that the majority of migrants act in good faith. "The vast majority of people who come to Sweden are perfectly honest; they simply want a better life for themselves and for their families. They want to work, do the right thing, learn the Swedish language, and become part of our country," he said. However, he argued that public trust in the immigration system depended on the ability to remove those who behaved otherwise.
The proposed measures would primarily target students, those on work permits, and their families. Under the new rules, authorities would be empowered to assess whether an individual was adhering to the "honest living" standard — and if not, residence permits could be denied or revoked.
Crucially, the bill would go beyond targeting those convicted of serious crimes. It would also cover what the government calls "transgressions," including social benefits fraud, accumulating excessive debt, public order disruptions, drug addiction, or making statements that glorify terrorism or are deemed to threaten Sweden's national security.
The proposals draw on an official inquiry commissioned back in November 2023, which recommended reintroducing a fundamental requirement of good conduct into Sweden's Aliens Act. Examples cited by the inquiry include unwillingness to pay debts, abuse of the welfare system, or close associations with criminal networks or violent extremist organisations.
If passed by parliament, the legislative amendments are set to enter into force on 1 July 2026.
The bill does not stand alone. Sweden's centre-right minority government, which relies on support from the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, has been pushing hard to advance a suite of reforms across multiple policy areas ahead of legislative elections in September.
The country has already seen a 30 per cent reduction in asylum applications between 2024 and 2025, following earlier legislative tightening. The Swedish Migration Agency granted 79,684 residence permits in 2025, but only six per cent were for asylum-related purposes, down sharply from 18 per cent in 2018.
To further encourage departures, the government has also introduced financial incentives: from 2026, migrants who voluntarily return to their countries of origin can receive up to 350,000 kronor, approximately £28,000. Last year, just over 8,300 people took up similar voluntary return arrangements.
The government has described the overall direction of travel as a "paradigm shift", a deliberate move away from Sweden's historic identity as one of Europe's most asylum-friendly nations, towards a model that prioritises labour migration and skilled workers.
The proposals have drawn concern from rights groups and legal observers, who warn that the ‘honest living’ standard is broad and potentially open to arbitrary application. Critics point out that conditions such as debt accumulation or drug dependency may reflect social hardship rather than wilful misconduct, and that vulnerable migrants could find themselves penalised for circumstances largely beyond their control.
Sweden's centre-right government is a minority administration, meaning it will require the continued backing of the Sweden Democrats to push the bill through parliament. With September's elections on the horizon, immigration is expected to remain a central battleground in Swedish politics.
Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Immigrants in Europe’s Nordic nations ||
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BRITAIN
The UK’s Prime Minister moves to soften immigration crackdown after Labour revolt
March 2026: The UK’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is stepping back from some of his government's most controversial proposed immigration reforms, after a sizeable Labour revolt, led by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, threatened to split the parliamentary party.
Downing Street (the UK Prime Minister’s official residence) confirmed on Wednesday (18 March) that the Prime Minister is considering exempting large numbers of people from plans that would force most migrants to wait a decade for settled status in the UK, rather than the existing five years. For the hundreds of thousands of people who have built their lives here in good faith, working, paying taxes, raising children, it is the first sign that their needs are being considered.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled the controversial reforms in early March 2026 as part of a sweeping package aimed at reducing the number of people entering and settling in the UK. The flagship change would double the qualifying period for ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (ILR) from five to ten years for most migrants. Refugee status would also become temporary rather than permanent.
Crucially, and most controversially, Mahmood insisted the changes must apply retrospectively: affecting hundreds of thousands of people already living here, many of whom arrived during Boris Johnson's premiership. In a speech two weeks ago, she framed the case in stark terms, warning that without action, some 350,000 lower-skilled workers and their dependents would qualify for settlement over the next five years, gaining access to welfare, healthcare and social housing.
The Home Secretary also announced a pilot scheme offering families whose asylum claims have failed up to £40,000 to leave voluntarily, and threatened forced removal, including the handcuffing of children, for those who refuse.
The announcement caused many Labour MPs on the left of the Party to revolt. A group of 100 MPs signed a letter opposing the measures, arguing: "You don't win back public confidence in the asylum system by threatening to forcibly remove migrants who have lived here lawfully for 15 or 20 years." Sarah Owen, leader of the centre-left Tribune group, drew a direct comparison with Donald Trump's ICE immigration enforcement operations.
Then came the most explosive intervention. Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, took to the stage at a Mainstream campaign group event on Tuesday (17 March) night and denounced the plans as a betrayal. "We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts," she said. "Because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It's un-British."
Many colleagues believe Rayner's intervention was also a thinly veiled pitch for the Labour leadership, with May's local elections looming and the party's poll ratings under pressure. The Green Party's recent victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election has rattled MPs who argue Labour faces as great a threat from its left as from Reform UK on its right.
On Wednesday afternoon, Starmer held a meeting at Downing Street with Black and minority ethnic Labour MPs, attended also by Justice Secretary David Lammy. One MP described the mood bluntly: "There's a sense the centre just isn't hearing us, not even on the tone or framing." Another was more direct still: "It's always been a poor policy."
The Prime Minister's spokesperson sought to walk a careful line, saying the government is "considering responses to the Home Office consultation" and will respond "in line with our principles and values", without committing to anything specific.
Exemptions now being discussed could include migrants working in the public sector, who may qualify for ILR after five years under the revised plans, and those already close to gaining settled status. Under the consultation’s tiered model, high earners, those on £125,140 or above for three consecutive years, could qualify in just three years. But those who have claimed benefits face a far harsher deal: 15 years if they claimed for under a year, and 20 years if for longer.
Downing Street made clear, however, that exemptions will not cover everyone already in the country, falling short of what Rayner and many Labour MPs have demanded.
Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Britain’s immigration policy threatens the country’s future prosperity ||
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BRITAIN / AFRICA
Britain slams the door on African students, thus risking its access to the continent’s mineral riches
March 2026: Britain's Labour government has invoked an unprecedented ‘emergency brake’ on student visas, raising questions about the long-term cost of rebuffing future African partners.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on 4 March 2026 that student visas for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan would be suspended in what the Home Office described as an emergency response to surging asylum claims. Asylum applications by students from the four countries rose by more than 470 per cent between 2021 and 2025, according to official figures. Claims by students from Cameroon and Sudan spiked by more than 330 per cent over that period, the government said.
Mahmood defended the decision in bland terms: the visa system was being abused by students from those countries applying for asylum after entering Britain. The restrictions, introduced via an immigration rules change, will come into force on 26 March 2026.
Critics, however, have challenged the government's arguments. Immigration lawyer Sonia Lenegan noted that while the percentages look alarming, the absolute numbers tell a different story: just 120 people from Sudan on student visas claimed asylum in the year up to September 2025. For a country wracked by civil war, that figure may reflect genuine desperation rather than systematic abuse.
The decision also carries a political dimension. Britain's Labour government is trying to fend off attacks by the hard-right Reform UK party, which has surged in the polls on an anti-immigrant platform. Critics argue the policy has less to do with visa integrity than with domestic electoral pressure.
The broader consequences of Britain's tightening approach to overseas students were examined by The Immigrant Times in a piece on British immigration policy and national prosperity. Every international student who studies in Britain leaves with a personal connection to the country, its people, its culture and its values, the article argued. A future finance minister who studied in London is more likely to look favourably on British banks seeking to operate in their country, an observation that resonates sharply in the context of the Sudan ban. Every student turned away is a potential ambassador for Britain who will instead forge their deepest connections with another country.
That strategic cost looks particularly steep when set against the unfolding geopolitical contest across Africa. Africa holds an estimated 30 per cent of the world's known mineral deposits, including 85 per cent of the world's manganese, 80 per cent of platinum and chromium, and 47 per cent of cobalt, materials essential to electric vehicles, batteries, semiconductors, and defence technologies.
Producer countries are actively seeking to use strategic competition among buyers to negotiate greater value from their resources, and they have no shortage of suitors. China, the United States, and the Gulf states are all deepening their foothold on the continent. Europe has a strategic interest in supporting Africa-based processing and better regional integration of value chains, given its proximity to the continent and dependence on global supply chains for critical minerals.
Influence in Africa is built over decades, not years, through educational exchanges, professional networks, and the goodwill of a generation trained abroad. By barring Sudanese students today, Britain may find itself without allies or access tomorrow, precisely when the scramble for African resources reaches its peak.
The Home Secretary says she is restoring order to Britain's borders. She may, inadvertently, be surrendering Britain's seat at one of the most consequential tables of the 21st century.
Sources: UK Home Office (gov.uk); Al Jazeera; Electronic Immigration Network; Africanews; The Immigrant Times; Institute for Financial Affairs (Ethiopia); Nordic Africa Institute; ECCO Climate; Office for National Statistics; National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
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Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Britain’s immigration policy threatens the country’s future prosperity and international influence ||
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WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Europe must prepare for a refugee surge from the Middle East, UN migration chief warns
7 March 2026: Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has warned that a large-scale refugee crisis could reach Europe rapidly if the war in the Middle East continues to escalate. Speaking in Brussels, she drew a stark comparison with the Ukraine conflict, in which millions of people crossed the border within days. Turkey would be the first major recipient of refugees fleeing Iran, she said, with pressure likely to fall on Greece, Bulgaria, and the Western Balkan route if controls were relaxed, reactivating a corridor that shaped European politics a decade ago.
Full story: Middle East Reporting
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BRITAIN / REFUGEES
Britain hopes new status restrictions will reduce the flow of refugees
March 2026: The UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on 2 March 2026 that refugee status will become temporary and subject to review every 30 months for all adults claiming asylum from that date.
Under the previous system, refugees were granted five years of protection and allowed to bring their families, followed by near-automatic, fee-free permanent settlement with continued access to benefits and housing — described by the government as among the most generous offers in Western Europe. The Home Secretary argued this had become a pull factor driving illegal migration.
The change is modelled on Denmark's approach, which the government says reduced asylum claims by more than 90% over a decade. Refugees whose home countries are judged to have become safe will be expected to return, while those who still face danger will have their protection renewed. www New legal routes via work and study visas will also be created as an alternative pathway.
Under separate reforms announced last year, refugees will also have to wait 20 years for settlement unless they switch to a legal visa route.
The government frames the policy as restoring order while remaining humane. Home Secretary Mahmood said the country "will always provide sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution," but argued the system must not create incentives that fund human traffickers or draw people without a legitimate need for protection.
Officials estimate the change could eventually cut the number of refugees on a pathway to settlement by up to 40 per cent.
The reforms have drawn significant pushback from refugee organisations and some politicians. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) UK said the cuts created uncertainty, fuelled anxiety, and stripped away the stability people need to rebuild their lives, and argued there is no evidence the measures will deter dangerous journeys.
The Refugee Council warned that the policy was unworkable and extremely costly, estimating that it would require between 1.66 and 1.9 million status reviews over the first decade, at a cost to the taxpayer of between £1.1 billion and £1.27 billion.
The Council also raises concerns about the restriction on family reunion, noting that 90 per cent of such visas previously went to women and children, and warns that the prolonged temporary status echoes past injustices seen in the Windrush scandal.
Within Parliament, as many as 80 Labour MPs are reported to be considering an amendment that would exempt families with children and people in recognised shortage-occupation jobs.
More broadly, critics have accused the government of adopting Reform UK's anti-immigration rhetoric, the party that regularly tops opinion polls.
Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Britain's immigration policy, a threat to prosperity || Britain’s new asylum proposals discourage future entrepreneurs || Britain debates immigration || Britain’s Labour Party moves to the right on immigration || The fiscal benefit of immigration in Britain || Britain’s care system depends on Filipino nurses ||
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BRITAIN / MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United co-owner faces backlash over ‘colonised’ remark as critics cite his move to Monaco
February 2026: Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, has sparked widespread criticism after claiming in a televised interview that the United Kingdom had been “colonised by immigrants”.
Speaking to Sky News, Ratcliffe argued that immigration levels had fundamentally altered the country. He cited population growth to support his claim, telling the broadcaster: “I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million. That’s an additional 12 million people.”
However, according to the Office for National Statistics, the UK population was estimated at 66.7 million in mid-2020 and 69.4 million in mid-2025, an increase of 2.7 million, not 12 million. The ONS has not recorded a UK population of 58 million at any point in recent decades.
The remarks drew condemnation from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who criticised the language used and warned that describing immigration in terms of ‘colonisation’ risked inflaming tensions. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the comments "go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood".
Supporters’ groups also distanced themselves from the comments. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) said on X: “No fan should feel excluded from following or supporting the club because of their race, religion, nationality or background. Comments from the club’s senior leadership should make inclusion easier, not harder.”
Critics have also pointed to the global character of English football. Manchester United, like most clubs in the Premier League, relies heavily on international players, coaches and commercial markets. The league’s global success over the past three decades has been built largely on its openness to overseas talent and investment, making it one of the most internationally diverse sporting competitions in the world.
Ratcliffe, founder of INEOS and one of Britain’s wealthiest businessmen, became co-owner of Manchester United in 2024, taking control of football operations. According to The Sunday Times Rich List, he was ranked the seventh richest person in the UK in 2025, with an estimated net worth of around £17 billion.
He was also a supporter of the UK’s departure from the European Union ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum. In 2020, Ratcliffe relocated his tax residence to Monaco, a principality where most residents are foreign nationals and no personal income or capital gains tax is levied.
The use of the term ‘colonised’ has been particularly contentious. Historians note that Britain has experienced successive waves of migration over centuries, from Huguenot refugees and Irish labourers to Commonwealth citizens and EU nationals. Critics argue that framing contemporary migration as colonisation risks oversimplifying a complex demographic and economic debate.
In a subsequent statement, Ratcliffe said: “I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern,” adding that it was important to raise the issue of “controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth.” He said his remarks were made during a discussion on economic growth, jobs, and manufacturing at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, and stressed that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills and industry. Ratcliffe did not withdraw his underlying argument but said it was “critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK.”
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GERMANY / USA
More American Jews with Nazi-era family ties apply for German citizenship
January 2026: An increasing number of Americans with Jewish family roots in Nazi-era Germany are applying for German citizenship, according to recent reporting by German public broadcaster Tagesschau. The trend reflects both Germany’s longstanding reparations policy and growing concerns among Jewish communities in the United States about rising antisemitism and political polarisation.
German diplomatic missions in the US have reported a steady rise in applications from descendants of families who were stripped of German citizenship under the Nazi regime or forced to flee persecution between 1933 and 1945. While Germany has offered citizenship restoration for decades, interest has accelerated in recent years, particularly since the pandemic period and amid heightened political tensions in the US.
Since 2024, demand has increased sharply. In 2025, the German Consulate General in New York received 1,771 applications for ‘reparation citizenships’. By comparison, there were 894 applications in 2023 and 734 in the previous year. On this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day (28 January), 81 American Jews received German citizenship. They are all descendants of victims of Nazi persecution.
Applicants interviewed by German media cite multiple motivations. For some, German citizenship represents a symbolic act of historical justice, reclaiming rights that were violently taken from their families. Others see practical benefits, including visa-free movement within the European Union and access to work and residence rights across 27 EU countries. However, a growing number point to security concerns, rising antisemitic incidents and fears about democratic backsliding in the US as key factors influencing their decision.
The political climate surrounding Donald Trump’s second-term presidency has also been cited as a contributing factor. Jewish advocacy groups in the US have recorded sharp increases in antisemitic threats, vandalism and online harassment in recent years. Some applicants told German media they view EU citizenship as an ‘insurance policy’ against future instability.
Germany’s legal framework allows descendants of Nazi persecution victims to obtain citizenship under special restitution provisions. These include Section 15 of the Nationality Act, which provides facilitated naturalisation for people affected by racial, religious or political persecution and their descendants. Applicants are not required to renounce their existing nationality, allowing most US citizens to hold dual citizenship.
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GERMANY / INDIA
Germany and India agree on fast-track access for Indian care workers
January 2026: Germany and India have signed a new agreement aimed at accelerating the integration of Indian health and care workers into the German labour market. The deal was concluded during a visit to India by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and focuses primarily on nursing and long-term care professions.
At the heart of the agreement is the advanced alignment of training standards. Indian nursing qualifications will be structured to closely match German requirements, allowing recognition procedures to be completed largely before workers arrive in Germany. This is intended to avoid lengthy and bureaucratic post-arrival recognition processes, which have long been cited as a bottleneck in cross-border recruitment.
The agreement also provides for structured language training and adaptation phases, enabling care workers to begin employment under supervision while completing any remaining regulatory or language requirements. Dedicated coordination points will be established in both countries to streamline visa issuance, qualification recognition and job placement.
The initiative will begin with a pilot phase covering nursing and elderly care, with intake levels to be reviewed regularly and expanded if demand persists. Recruitment is to follow ethical standards and focus on newly trained personnel, to avoid weakening India’s domestic healthcare system.
Germany’s move reflects wider pressures across the European Union, where ageing populations and staff shortages are placing increasing strain on health and care services. Several EU member states are exploring similar partnerships with third countries to secure long-term workforce capacity in essential sectors.
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BRITAIN
Britain agrees return deals with Angola and Namibia after threatening visa restrictions
December 2025: The UK government has reached agreements with the governments of Angola and Namibia to facilitate the return of their nationals who are in Britain without legal permission to remain.
Under the new arrangements, agreed following diplomatic pressure and the threat of visa restrictions, both African states have pledged to accept the repatriation of citizens deported from the UK, including those who have entered irregularly, overstayed visas or been refused asylum. The deals form part of a broader overhaul of Britain’s immigration system announced by the Labour government in November.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood welcomed the developments, stressing the government’s expectation that countries must ‘play by the rules’. She said that if a nation’s citizen has ‘no right to be here, they must take them back’, as Britain seeks to expedite the removal of those without legal status.
The agreements are the first major outcome of sweeping asylum reforms announced in November 2025, aimed at making refugee status temporary, shortening paths to removal and strengthening deportation powers for those arriving without documentation. Refugee protections will now be subject to regular review, and those deemed safe to return to their homeland may be required to leave.
As part of the same initiative, the UK has imposed visa sanctions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo after that government failed to cooperate on return procedures, revoking fast-track and preferential visa processing for its nationals.
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BRITAIN
In 2025, migration shaped the UK’s domestic political debate
Extracts from the Migration Observatory’s annual review*
December 2025: The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford has compiled a roundup of the UK’s biggest migration moments, highlighting numerous policy announcements, shifts in net migration, and a focus on issues that previously didn’t play much of a role in the debate, like crime and asylum accommodation.
January
The introduction of the Border Security Bill repealed the previous Conservative government’s Rwanda policy and many of the provisions of the Illegal Migration Act that prevented the processing of asylum claims. It introduced ‘counter-terror’ powers to challenge people smuggling, including increased penalties for assisting illegal immigration.
February
February’s Home Office (Interior Ministry) migration statistics showed a big reduction in the number of visas issued in 2024. While these falls were mainly driven by policies introduced by the previous government to tackle a dramatic rise in legal immigration, a rise created mainly by a series of liberalisations introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration, they were maintained by the Labour Party after the July 2024 election. In May, the Office for National Statistics confirmed that net migration had declined from 860,000 to 430,000.
May
The Immigration White Paper, published in May, outlined a raft of measures designed to reduce migration to the UK, largely completing the process of rolling back the post-Brexit immigration liberalisations. The White paper proposed increases in the time it would take for many migrants to get settlement in the UK, increased language requirements, and measures to restrict the scope of human rights immigration routes.
July
In July, the UK announced its new ‘one in one out’ deal with France, a move that the government hoped would deter small boat arrivals. A series of work-related restrictions came into force, notably an increase in the salary threshold for skilled work visas to £41k, the removal of some middle-skilled jobs from the work visa system, and the closure of the care route to overseas recruitment.
August
There were a number of protests outside asylum hotels, which led to a wider debate about the link between migration and crime.
September
September brought the announcement of a new digital ID for everyone legally resident in the UK that would be used to consolidate access to government services and ensure migrants have the right to work.
November
Net migration statistics were published, showing a continued decline to 204,000 in the year ending June 2025, a 78 per cent fall and a return to pre-Brexit levels. November’s data also showed that the ‘appeals backlog’, mainly made up of people who have been refused asylum and appealed against the decision, is now overtaking the initial decisions backlog.
A White Paper on asylum proposed a ‘Danish style’ approach, making it harder for refugees to settle in the UK permanently. Changes to the asylum system and human rights rules aim to process legal challenges and appeals more quickly, making it harder for people to challenge their removal.
A consultation was also announced on settlement rules. The proposals include a shorter path to permanent status for the highest-paid migrants. In contrast, migrants who entered illegally, overstayed a visa, or claimed benefits would remain on temporary statuses for longer, up to 20 or 30 years. The government also plans to restrict access to welfare benefits for people with permanent status but not citizenship.
* The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford provides independent, authoritative, evidence-based analysis of data on migration and migrants in the UK.
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WORLD
Migration: A story of opportunity, human progress and shared development
A statement by the International Organisation for Migration
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December 2025: Each year, on 18 December, the world observes International Migrants Day (IMD). To mark the occasion, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), an UN-related organisation, is reaffirming migration as a story of opportunity, human progress, and shared development and calling for stronger, more robust migration systems that protect people on the move and support the communities that welcome them.
The day recognises the contributions of migrants worldwide and underscores the importance of protecting their rights and dignity. In 2025, the Day is marked under the theme My Great Story: Cultures and Development, highlighting how human mobility enriches societies, drives economic growth, and strengthens connections across communities.
“Migration is woven into the lives of families and communities everywhere. It is a story of courage, determination, and the ties that bind us across borders,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Today, we honour the people who set out in search of safety and opportunity and call for global solidarity in shaping fair and inclusive systems that protect them. When migration is managed with dignity and purpose, it benefits everyone.”
Every migrant carries a personal story of hope, courage, and the desire for a better life. When systems protect people along their journey, those stories can unfold safely. Today, an estimated 304 million people, or nearly 4 per cent of the global population, live outside their country of birth. This number has grown steadily as people move for work, safety, education, and family.
Migrants contribute in many ways to the communities where they live and work, bringing skills, creativity, and entrepreneurship that strengthen local economies. Labour migrants support essential sectors including healthcare, construction, agriculture, and technology, providing vital assistance in countries with aging populations.
Their earnings also sustain families back home. In 2024, migrants sent an estimated USD 905 billion in international remittances, most of which went to middle and low-income countries. These transfers help households cover food, education, and medical care and in many cases exceed the value of foreign aid and investment flows.
Beyond these financial contributions, migrants also enrich the social and cultural fabric of communities. They carry new ideas, foster cultural exchange, build business networks, and spark innovation, benefiting both their countries of origin and the places where they settle.
Yet migration is shaped by growing challenges. By the end of 2024, 83.4 million people were internally displaced due to conflict, violence, and disasters, while new emergencies continued to push communities beyond their coping capacity.
While most migration takes place safely and regularly, many people still face serious risks when crossing borders, particularly where regular pathways are limited. People who must flee suddenly often have few options and may turn to irregular routes. These journeys can involve dangerous sea and desert crossings, exploitation, and limited access to assistance and protection. The Mediterranean Sea remains one of the deadliest migration routes, with more than 33,000 recorded deaths since 2014.
Every migrant’s journey is different, but the need for safety and dignity is universal. By strengthening systems that support people at every stage of mobility, countries can unlock the developmental dividends of migration and uphold the rights and well-being of every person on the move.
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