Immigrants in the UK increase by 22 percent

United Kingdom, 28th February: The number of immigrants settling in the UK has gone up by a fifth, latest official figures by the Office for National Statistics show.

There has been an increase of 22 percent in the number of immigrants settling in the UK permanently in the year 2010 over the year 2009. The number of immigrants issued UK permanent residency is stated to be 237,890 in the year 2010 as compared to the figures of 238,950 in the year 2009.

Meanwhile, as per the ONS (Office for National Statistics) data, the number of immigrants moving out of the UK, either through forced removals or voluntarily, has come down by 15 percent over the year 2009 taking the figures to 57,085 in the year 2010.

As per the quarterly UK immigration data, there has been a two-third rise in the number of asylum-seekers given settlement visas by the UK government taking the figures from 3,110 in the year 2009 to 5,125 in the year 2010.

And the number of foreigners granted settlement in the UK pertaining to work-related cases rose to 84,370 in 2010 as compared to 81,185 in 2009 showing an increase of 4 percent.

As per the ONS data, although the number of aliens issued UK passports was higher than the figures of the year 2005 till 2007, yet the quarterly figures showed a decline of 4 percent in the number of those issued UK passport taking the figures to 195,130.

The number of foreigners issued UK student visas in the year 2010 is said to be 334,815 showing a fall of 2 percent over the year 2009.

Similarly, applicants seeking asylum in the nation also decreased by nearly 25 percent taking the figures to 17,790 in 2010, taking the figures to the lowest-level in the last eight years.

The level of net migration has, meanwhile, continued an increase taking the figures for the 12 months till June 2010 to 226,000, the ONS data shows.

The number of people coming to the UK was 572,000 while the number of those leaving the UK is said to be 346,000.

And this reiterates the fact that the UK immigration system has been working successfully to bring down the net migration levels to tens of thousands when the current Parliament ends, stated Damian Green, the UK immigration minister.