In and Out of imigration

[Richie Stan]

Given the current news on Imigration, I would like to know more about the numbers of people entering against the numbers leaving. I have all ways believed that more leave than enter, is this true?

[Buenchico]

Exact statistical data isn't available. For example, nobody really knows how many illegal immigrants come to this country. Equally, there is no requirement on anyone permanently leaving the country to inform any UK authorities.

Despite this, statistical data is compiled by the Office for National Statistics (based upon a variety of sources such as tax records and data from ports and airports). The most recent data available covers the 10-year period from 1995 to 2004. Throughout this period, 'inflow' was higher than 'outflow':
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID =1311&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=176

Chris

[jno]

migration watch likes to call itself a think tank, but it is a pressure group rather than an impartial factfinder, so approach with care.

[vehelpfulguy]

It is not just the NUMBERS arriving and leaving, it is the type of people leaving and the type of people arriving.

Many of those leaving are either young people with skills we need for the future, or well-off business people who have had enough of this country and take their business skills elsewhere.

Whereas SOME (not all) of the people who come here are unskilled and offer us nothing except cheap labour.

Others that come here (some fake asylum seekers and illegal immigrants for example) are here purely to screw us for all they can get and many take part in organised criminal activity.

So we should be more interested in WHO is leaving and WHO is arriving, which the government seem unable to track.