UK Sees a 9 Percent Drop in Long Term Emigration

Apparently the UK has finally seen a drop of 9 percent in long term emigration. This drop came in the year up to last September, according to new figures. About 503,000 people came into the UK over this period. This is a smaller number than the 555,000 that came in during the previous 12 months.

Data from the International Passenger Survey indicated that the number of entrants from eastern European states that joined the EU in 2004 dropped 55 percent to 45,000. This includes such places like the Czech Republic and Poland.

There was a sharp rise, however, in the number of UK passports that were granted. This number was up 58 percent from 129,375 in 2008 to 203,790 in 2009. Net emigration over the year stood at 142,000. This was a figure that showed up despite the fact that the number of British citizens leaving the country fell from 173,000 to 134,000.

The International Passenger Survey is considered a good broad guild to emigration movements. However, it does not take into account adjustments from asylum seekers, people who stay longer or for less than they intended too, and, of course, emigration to and from Northern Ireland. Long term emigrants are defined as those who plan to remain for more than 12 months.

These new figures will be interpreted by the Labour party as evidence that its points based system was starting to have an effect. Several candidates in the party have identified emigration as a key factor in the general election defeat. The new government has committed itself to introducing a cap on non-EU emigration, although the level has yet to be set.