New report analyses the journeys of migrants issued visas up to the end of 2007 through the UK's immigration system
The Home Office has today published a new report exploring migrants' journeys through the UK's immigration system.
The report is the fourth in the Home Office's 'migrant journey' series and can be accessed from here.
According to the report, the findings presented are based on combining data collected from 2 UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) databases which hold records of individuals granted entry clearance visas, and any subsequent grants of extensions of stay in the UK.
The report covers visas issued up to the end of 2007.
The report says it provides information on a forward-view and backward-view analysis of the extent to which migrants achieve settlement in the UK or are recorded as still having valid leave to remain.
The report highlights the following key facts:
• Twenty-five per cent (27,778) of those issued skilled work visas (with a potential path to settlement) in the 2007 cohort had been granted settlement 5 years later and a further 9% (9,981) still had valid leave to remain.
• Indian nationals were issued the largest proportion of skilled work visas in the 2007 cohort (37%) and, of these skilled Indian nationals, 24% had received settlement after 5 years, while a further 9% still had valid leave to remain. Of the top 5 nationalities issued skilled work visas in the 2007 cohort, American and Australian nationals on work visas were less likely to have settled after 5 years (11%).
• Sixty-four per cent of people (47,269) issued family visas in the 2007 cohort had been granted settlement 5 years later with a further 3% recorded as still having valid leave to remain. Of the top 5 nationalities issued family visas in the 2007 cohort, Americans were the least likely to have settled after 5 years (30%) and Bangladeshi (92%), Afghan (88%) and Pakistani nationals (82%) were the most likely.
• Migrants granted student and work visas (not leading to settlement), both largely temporary migration routes, were less likely to have either achieved settlement or have valid leave to remain after 5 years (15% and 7% respectively). Of these, only a small proportion had achieved settlement (1% and 2% respectively) within the 5-year timeframe, due to the rules for these visa categories.
• Migrants granted family visas in the 2007 cohort (67%) were more likely to achieve either settlement or have valid leave to remain after 5 years compared to the earlier cohorts (60% in the 2004 cohort). This trend is reversed for those granted a skilled work visa, work visa (not leading to settlement), study and visit visas, where migrants are less likely to have been granted settlement or have valid leave to remain in the 2007 cohort than in earlier cohorts. The period covered will include the recent economic recession, which may have reduced the likelihood of such migrants seeking to remain longer in the UK.