We thought we’d share with you key statistics from the Home Office as regards 2013 figures for those who are subject to immigration control:
Employers and Employees
- 27,177 UK employers are registered as Sponsor Licence holders able to employ migrant workers as of January 2014. This is a 4% increase on the previous year, and could have resulted due to the closure of various immigration categories – such as Tier 1 Post Study Work and Tier 1 General Visas – which allowed migrants flexibility of employment without the need for a Sponsor.
- 154,860 work-related visas were issued in 2013 with a higher number of Tier 2 visas issued to skilled worker. This accounts for an 18% increase on the previous year.
Students and Student Visitors
- 218,773 study-related visas were issued in 2013 accounting for an increase of 4% to the previous year. The statistics show that a higher number of visas were issued to Chinese, Brazilian and Malaysian studies while those issued to Indian and Pakistani nationals fell dramatically.
- 34% drop experienced in visas issued by the further education sector.
- 14% increase in Student Visitor visas issued.
Permanent Residence and British Citizenship
- 33% of those issued with Tier 2 / skilled work visas in a category which leads to settlement legally remained in the immigration system or were granted permanent permission to stay.
- 18% more people were granted permanent permission to stay (rising to 152,949) which resulted from an increase in asylum and family-related grants, and a fall in those issued as a result of work-related grants.
- 208,059 people were granted British citizenship in 2013.
Visitors and Other Admissions to the UK
- 111.1 million journeys were made to the UK in 2013, most of which (88%) resulted from British, EEA and Swiss nations who enjoy free movement rights.
- 1.9 million visitor visas were issued in 2013.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
