Most migrants in Britain from outside the EU come from Asian countries
According to the BBC, net population growth from migration, excluding departures, stood at 330,000 as of the end of the financial year (March 31). This is 94,000 more than a year earlier. Thus, growth since last March was 28%, the office's report notes.
This statistic only counts the number of official migrants entering the country on legal grounds. Long-term migrants are considered those who arrive for at least a year and for whom Britain essentially becomes their main place of residence.
The number of asylum applications filed during the year rose by 10% to 26,000. Most applicants come from Eritrea, Pakistan, and Syria.
Migration Minister James Brokenshire called this statistics disappointing. "Migration in Europe has today reached levels unseen since the end of World War II," the official stated.
According to official data, in 2014, 13% of Britain's residents, or 8.3 million people, were born outside the country – the highest figure on record. So-called net migration indicators have been rising for five consecutive quarters.
From other EU member states, 183,000 migrants arrived in Britain over 12 months (net of departures) – 53,000 more than in the same period of 2014. Almost all of this increase was due to citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, who from this year gained the right to enter Britain without any restrictions. The net inflow of migrants from non-EU countries was even larger at 196,000.
The National Statistics Office report notes that from June 2014 to June of this year, a record number of Chinese – nearly 90,000 people – entered Britain for long-term residence. India is second with over 86,000. Overall, the vast majority of migrant inflow from outside Europe comes from Asian countries. Among non-EU nationals, the largest group in Britain is Indians – 793,000 people. Overall, 8.5% of Britain's population, or 5.3 million people, are not citizens of the country.
Among the key factors contributing to the growth of net migration in Britain are the country's continued economic growth and EU enlargement. Of the total number of working-age migrants, about 7% claim various benefits and state assistance.
Earlier, the government released details of a new migration bill that will be presented to parliament in the fall of this year. Under the plans, illegal migrants working in Britain could face prison sentences of up to six months, while shops and catering businesses employing illegal workers will be shut down. At the same time, British landlords will be required to evict tenants who have lost the right to live in the country.