# Why UK Immigration Numbers Are So High — The Policy Timeline > Net migration rose from **224,000 (2019)** to a peak of **906,000 (year to June 2023)**. Every PM since David Cameron pledged to reduce immigration. None met their target until 2025. Source: ONS Long-term International Migration, Home Office, YouGov. --- ## Net Migration by Year | Year | Net migration | Key event | |---|---|---| | 2001 | 171,000 | | | 2002 | 185,000 | | | 2003 | 203,000 | | | 2004 | 245,000 | EU enlargement: Poland, Czech Republic etc. join EU | | 2005 | 217,000 | | | 2006 | 244,000 | | | 2007 | 237,000 | | | 2008 | 239,000 | | | 2009 | 217,000 | | | 2010 | 255,000 | Cameron 'tens of thousands' pledge | | 2011 | 218,000 | | | 2012 | 163,000 | May calls Home Office 'not fit for purpose' | | 2013 | 195,000 | | | 2014 | 264,000 | | | 2015 | 334,000 | Record at the time; Brexit campaign begins | | 2016 | 273,000 | Brexit referendum (June 2016) | | 2017 | 282,000 | | | 2018 | 226,000 | Windrush scandal exposed | | 2019 | 224,000 | Johnson pledges net migration 'below 250,000' | | 2020 | 185,000 | COVID-19 pandemic | | 2021 | 239,000 | Post-Brexit points-based system launches; student dependant rule ... | | 2022 | 745,000 | Record: Ukraine scheme, BN(O) Hong Kong, student surge, care work... | | 2023 | 685,000 | Dependant visa curbs begin; Rwanda scheme blocked | | 2024 | 331,000 | Labour wins election; Rwanda scrapped; visa threshold raised | | 2025 | 171,000 | Continued fall; lowest since 2021 | ## Key Policy Events ### 2004 (May) — Tony Blair: EU enlargement: Blair government grants immediate free movement to A8 accession countries UK was one of only three EU members (alongside Ireland and Sweden) not to impose transitional controls. Germany and France imposed 7-year restrictions. Approximately 600,000 Polish nationals arrived in the UK by 2007 alone. Net migration rose from 171k (2001) to 245k (2004). The decision was made without formal parliamentary approval or a published impact assessment. *Source: Migration Observatory; House of Commons Library* ### 2010 — David Cameron: Net migration target: Cameron pledges to reduce net migration to 'tens of thousands' Target was never met under any Conservative government. Net migration averaged 260k during the 2010s and peaked at 334k in 2015. *Source: House of Commons Library* ### 2014 — David Cameron: 'Hostile environment' immigration policy formalised Designed to make the UK inhospitable to undocumented migrants through employer checks, bank checks and NHS restrictions. Led to the Windrush scandal in 2018 when British citizens of Caribbean origin were wrongly deported or denied services. *Source: Home Affairs Select Committee* ### 2016 (June) — David Cameron: Brexit referendum: UK votes 52% to 48% to leave the EU EU net migration fell sharply in the two years following the vote as EU citizens became uncertain about their future status. Net migration from the EU fell from +189k (2016) to +74k (2019). 5.8m EU citizens applied to the EU Settlement Scheme before the December 2020 deadline. The referendum itself triggered Cameron's resignation; the subsequent political turbulence delayed coherent immigration policy for years. *Source: ONS International Migration; Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics* ### 2018 — Theresa May: Windrush scandal 164 people were wrongly deported or detained; thousands more lost jobs, housing and NHS entitlements. Home Secretary Amber Rudd resigned. The hostile environment policy was substantially modified. A compensation scheme was established; by 2025 approximately £78m had been paid out but the scheme was widely criticised as inadequate. *Source: Windrush Lessons Learned Review (2020); Home Office Windrush compensation statistics* ### 2020 (December) — Boris Johnson: EU free movement formally ends (31 December 2020) EU citizens lost the automatic right to live and work in the UK. The end of free movement removed a large pool of workers employers had relied on, particularly in hospitality, care, agriculture and logistics. Employers switched to sponsoring non-EU workers via the points-based system, directly driving the surge in Skilled Worker and Health and Care visa grants from 2021. *Source: Home Office; Migration Advisory Committee* ### 2021 (January) — Boris Johnson: Post-Brexit points-based immigration system launches EU free movement replaced by a points-based system applying equally to all nationalities. Designed to attract the 'brightest and best' with no overall cap on numbers. Non-EU net migration rose from +155k in 2019 to +511k in 2022. *Source: Home Office Immigration Statistics* ### 2021 (August) — Boris Johnson: Afghan resettlement: Operation Pitting and ARAP/ACRS schemes Following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, the UK evacuated approximately 15,000 people during Operation Pitting. The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) brought an estimated 20,000 Afghans to the UK by 2023. The schemes ran in parallel with the Ukraine and Hong Kong routes, compounding the rise in non-EU arrivals. *Source: Home Office; House of Commons Defence Committee* ### 2021 (October) — Boris Johnson: Student visa dependant rule: international students allowed to bring family members to all courses Student dependant visa grants rose from 45,000 in 2021 to 139,000 in 2023 - a 209% increase. Total student route visas (including dependants) rose from 364k to 780k over the same period. *Source: Home Office Entry Clearance Visa Outcomes* ### 2021 — Boris Johnson: Health and Care Worker visa: social care sector exempt from salary thresholds Care worker visa grants rose from 59,000 in 2021/22 to 151,000 in 2022/23. Many arrived with dependants. By 2024 the government had re-imposed salary floors following evidence of widespread exploitation and abuse of the route. *Source: Home Office; Migration Advisory Committee* ### 2021 (January) — Boris Johnson: BN(O) Hong Kong visa route opened 152,000 BN(O) visa holders arrived by end of 2022; approximately 150,000-180,000 by 2024. The route was created in response to the National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong by China. *Source: Home Office* ### 2022 (March) — Boris Johnson: Ukraine Homes for Ukraine scheme launched 192,000 visa grants by end of 2022; over 200,000 total by mid-2023. Counted in net migration figures as long-term arrivals. Running simultaneously with BN(O), Afghan and care worker visa surges. *Source: Home Office* ### 2022 (April) — Boris Johnson: Rwanda deportation scheme announced £240 million paid to Rwanda before scheme was ruled unlawful (Supreme Court, November 2023) and scrapped (Labour, July 2024). Zero transfers made. NAO estimated cost per transfer would have been approximately £150,000. *Source: National Audit Office* ### 2023 (July) — Rishi Sunak: Illegal Migration Act 2023 receives Royal Assent Created a statutory duty to make removal decisions for anyone arriving in the UK without permission. Placed the Rwanda scheme on a legislative footing. Also introduced indefinite detention powers and provisions to disregard ECHR interim measures. Most provisions were never fully commenced; Labour repealed key sections after the 2024 election. *Source: Home Office; House of Commons Library* ### 2023 (November) — Rishi Sunak: Supreme Court rules Rwanda scheme unlawful Unanimous 5-0 ruling found Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country. The government responded by passing the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, deeming Rwanda safe as a matter of law. One flight was scheduled for June 2024 but grounded following individual legal challenges. The scheme was scrapped by the incoming Labour government in July 2024. *Source: Supreme Court judgment AAA v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] UKSC 42* ### 2023 (January) — Rishi Sunak: International student dependant restrictions announced (effective January 2024) Student dependant visa grants fell from 139k (2023) to 25k (2024) - an 82% fall. Total student route entries fell from approximately 780k to around 400k. UK universities raised concerns about financial impact. *Source: Home Office Entry Clearance Visa Outcomes* ### 2024 (July) — Keir Starmer: Labour wins general election; Rwanda scheme scrapped on day one Government pledged 'significant reduction' in net migration. Family visa income threshold raised to £29,000 (rising in stages). Border Security Command established. Net migration fell to 331k (YE Dec 2024) and 171k (YE Dec 2025). *Source: Home Office* ### 2025 (May) — Keir Starmer: Immigration White Paper published Most significant reform to the legal migration system in over a decade. Key measures: Skilled Worker salary threshold raised to £38,700; English language requirements tightened across more routes; standard settlement pathway extended from 5 to 10 years; potential cap on international student numbers under consideration; care worker route restricted to those already in the UK. Government forecast net migration would fall further as measures take effect. *Source: Home Office Immigration White Paper (May 2025)* ## PM Pledges vs Reality | PM | Party | Promise | Outcome | |---|---|---|---| | Tony Blair (2003) | Labour | Asylum numbers would be halved | Asylum applications fell but overall net migration doubled during Blair years | | Gordon Brown (2008) | Labour | 'British jobs for British workers' | Net migration continued above 200k throughout Brown's tenure | | David Cameron (2010) | Conservative | Net migration to 'tens of thousands' | Net migration hit 334k in 2015 - the then-record; promise dropped after 2015 election | | Theresa May (2017) | Conservative | Net migration below 100,000 | Net migration averaged 282k in 2017 and 226k in 2018; never came close to 100k | | Boris Johnson (2019) | Conservative | Net migration below 250,000 | Net migration hit 745k in 2022 and 685k in 2023 - more than double the promise | | Keir Starmer (2024) | Labour | 'Significant reduction' in net migration | Net migration fell to 171k (YE Dec 2025) - the lowest since 2021 and below 250k for the first time since Brexit. Still above pre-2020 norms. | ## Immigration as Top Political Concern (YouGov) | Year | % citing as top concern | Note | |---|---|---| | 2019 | 15% | Brexit dominated; immigration less prominent | | 2021 | 22% | | | 2022 | 34% | Channel crossings peak; record net migration | | 2023 | 43% | Net migration 745k revealed; Rwanda scheme failing | | 2024 | 47% | Top concern in 2024 general election; Reform UK surge | | 2025 | 38% | Net migration falling; concern reducing but still high | ## Related Pages - [Returns & Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns/) | [returns.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns.md) - [Labour Market](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market/) | [labour-market.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market.md) - [Party Policies](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies/) | [party-policies.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies.md) --- ## All Pages - [Returns & Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns/) | [returns.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns.md) - [Foreign National Offenders](https://www.deported.co.uk/foreign-national-offenders/) | [foreign-national-offenders.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/foreign-national-offenders.md) - [Why People Are Not Deported](https://www.deported.co.uk/not-deported/) | [not-deported.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/not-deported.md) - [Cost of Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/costs/) | [costs.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/costs.md) - [Asylum Statistics](https://www.deported.co.uk/asylum/) | [asylum.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/asylum.md) - [Foreign Nationals and Benefits](https://www.deported.co.uk/benefits/) | [benefits.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/benefits.md) - [Asylum Accommodation Costs](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation/) | [accommodation.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation.md) - [Labour Market](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market/) | [labour-market.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market.md) - [Returns by Nationality](https://www.deported.co.uk/nationality/) | [nationality.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/nationality.md) - [Sponsor Register](https://www.deported.co.uk/sponsored-workers/) | [sponsored-workers.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/sponsored-workers.md) - [Policy Timeline](https://www.deported.co.uk/policy-timeline/) | [policy-timeline.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/policy-timeline.md) - [Party Policies](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies/) | [party-policies.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies.md) - [2025 Annual Review](https://www.deported.co.uk/2025/) | [2025.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/2025.md) - [2024 Annual Review](https://www.deported.co.uk/2024/) | [2024.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/2024.md) - [llms.txt](https://www.deported.co.uk/llms.txt) | [sitemap.xml](https://www.deported.co.uk/sitemap.xml) *Canonical: https://www.deported.co.uk/policy-timeline/*