UK’s higher-earning immigrants may be driven out by tougher rules, report suggests
Summary
A government report finds that higher-earning immigrants in the UK are more likely to leave the country, while lower earners tend to stay longer. Proposed rule changes to settlement rights may further discourage wealthy migrants from staying, which could affect the labor market and public finances.Key Facts
- The Migration Advisory Committee studied about 900,000 migrant journeys from 2014 to 2024.
- Migrants earning less than £40,000 and health care workers have high stay rates, with 94% of nurses remaining after five years.
- Higher earners (over £125,000) tend to leave the UK more often, possibly due to better job opportunities globally.
- The government plans to increase the period required to qualify for settled status from 5 to 10 years.
- Some groups, like higher earners and academics, might be discouraged from staying if settlement rules become stricter.
- Younger migrants under 45 are more likely to stay long-term (81% remain after five years) than those aged 45 or over (65%).
- Migrants from Africa and South Asia have higher stay rates than those from North America, Oceania, and East Asia.
- London keeps more immigrants long-term compared to Scotland and Wales, which have lower retention rates.
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