Annual net migration to UK hits 672,000 in year to June 2023

LONDON (Reuters): Annual net migration to the United Kingdom rose to 672,000 in year to the end of June 2023, official data showed on Thursday, in the latest blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s promise to reduce immigration.

High levels of legal migration have for more than a decade dominated Britain’s political landscape and the issue was one of the driving forces behind the country’s 2016 vote in favour of leaving the European Union.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed a net 672,000 people came to Britain in the year to the end of June.

While Sunak’s most recent focus has been on reducing illegal migration, he also wants to cut the number of people arriving legally, but labour shortages in some industries, plus the need to accommodate those arriving from Ukraine and Hong Kong under special visa schemes have made this a challenge.