15 November 2007

Skilled migration tops list of reasons for UK migrants

Work and skilled migration continues to be the main reason why people move both to and from the UK, migration figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have found.

According to the latest official report of migration, close to 40 per cent of all immigration and nearly half of all emigration occurs for work-related reasons.

27 per cent of immigrants arriving in the UK in 2006 reported having a definite job lined up for them, which 12 per cent said they were looking for work.

A similar proportion of those emigrating to other countries had definite jobs to go to, while a larger 21 per cent admitted that they were leaving to look for work abroad.

Citizens of the EU were more likely to enter the UK for work reasons than those moving from outside Europe, the ONS figures also showed.

Sixty-one per cent of EU citizens arriving in the UK said they were looking for jobs.


Anyone applying for immigration visa should begin by taking the Visa Bureau's online visa application to see if they meet the basic legislative requirements.