The Migration Observatory has published a new report revealing major demographic and policy trends affecting children of migrants in the UK — including both those born abroad and those born domestically to foreign-born parents.

The Migration Observatory has published an updated briefing examining the impact of migration on population growth in the UK. While the UK does not have an explicit population policy, the briefing examines how migration and migration policy over the last 20 years has impacted population growth in the UK up until now as well as projected population numbers for the future.

The Migration Observatory has published a briefing on settlement (indefinite leave to remain), examining how many non-EU migrants attempt to settle in the UK and evaluating the EU Settlement Scheme. The briefing looks at visa status of migrants over a period of time and those granted any asylum-related leave prior to settlement.

The Migration Observatory has published a statistical briefing analysing EU migration to and from the UK and the size and characteristics of the EU-born and EU-national population. It reports that net migration of EU citizens has been negative since 2022 and estimates that, between mid-2021 and mid-2025, around 162,000 more EU nationals left the UK than arrived, largely because of a sharp fall in immigration rather than widespread departure among those already resident. Using 2021–22 Census data, it estimates around 4 million EU-born residents in the UK, representing 6% of the population and 37% of the foreign-born, and around 5.3 million EU passport holders including dual nationals, noting that reliable post-2021 population estimates by nationality are not available. It attributes the sustained decline in EU immigration primarily to changes following the 2016 referendum and the end of free movement in December 2020, alongside factors such as uncertainty about the UK’s political and economic environment, while situating these trends within a broader rise and subsequent fall in overall UK net migration after 2021.

The Migration Observatory has published a briefing on the subject of irregular migration in the UK. Irregular migration is often called ‘illegal immigration’ as it refers to people who are physically present within the UK without the legal right to be so. There is no legally accepted definition of 'irregular migrant', however, the Migration Observatory has highlighted the main situations that are commonly known to lead to this status. The briefing also highlights that the estimated number of irregular migrants within the UK ‘should be treated with caution’, as it is difficult to report on ‘people who do not wish to be found’. Furthermore, it notes that the government does not have an accurate number of current visa overstayers.

The Migration Observatory has published a briefing examining the migration, characteristics, economic outcomes and experiences of Hong Kong British National Overseas (BNO) visa holders living in the UK. It reports that 160,000 BNOs migrated to the UK between 2021 and 2025, that most expect to remain in the UK in the long term and that almost all either hold or wish to acquire British citizenship. The briefing also considers how the government’s proposed earned settlement requirements may affect BNO visa holders. It finds that, although BNOs generally have high levels of educational attainment and homeownership, many are working in roles below their qualification level and report less favourable financial outcomes.

The Migration Observatory has published a commentary on using data to track progress on the Labour government’s progress on its agenda on migration. The government has pledged to bring down net migration, reduce reliance on overseas workers, tackle smuggling gangs, clear the asylum backlog, and accelerate the removal of people without legal status in the UK. Data is available to track the progress of some of the pledges, but others cannot be assessed through publicly available data. The commentary looks at how the data can and cannot help in this task.

The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford has published analysis showing major shifts in UK asylum accommodation policy implementation between 2020 and2025. The report, released 30 April 2025, details how the government's traditional private rental approach has been largely replaced by hotel accommodation, with hotels housing 37% of asylum seekers by end-2024. The May 2023 full dispersal policy implementation has led to wider geographic distribution, with 84% of local authorities now hosting asylum seekers compared to 25% in 2014. Additionally, the report noted that the 2022 large sites initiative has had limited impact, housing less than 1% of asylum seekers. Additional findings from the report include:

The Migration Observatory's latest briefing reveals significant developments in Ukrainian migration to the UK. As of 30 June 2024, approximately 217,000 Ukrainians were residing in the UK, with 210,000 having arrived under the Ukraine Family and Sponsorship Schemes by 16 July 2024. The influx peaked in May 2022 with 10,000 weekly arrivals, subsequently declining to under 1,000 per week after March 2023. Scotland, London, and the South-East collectively received the majority of Sponsorship Scheme arrivals. Notably, 70% of adult arrivals were women, and an April 2024 survey indicated that 68% of Ukrainians intend to remain in the UK long-term. The UK has accommodated 4% of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, totalling 242,000 individuals as of 13 June 2024, ranking fourth among European countries in terms of Ukrainian refugee reception.

The Migration Observatory has produced a briefing looking at statistics on migrants' housing situations in the UK. Key findings include that 22% of households assessed as homeless or at risk of homelessness in 2023/2024 were headed by non-UK citizens. In response to rising homelessness among new refugees, the Home Office has extended the notice period for leaving asylum accommodation from 28 to 56 days under a six-month pilot ending June 2025. The report also highlights that while social housing allocations are not based on immigration status, most temporary migrants are ineligible due to the ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition. Despite this, the proportion of new social housing lettings to non-UK nationals in England has increased from 6% to 10% between 2007/08 and 2022/23, reflecting the growing share of non-UK citizens in the population. The report also looks at home ownership rates of migrants, how much people spend of their net income on rent in London, and whether migration contributes to increases in average UK house prices.

The Migration Observatory has published new estimates on the number of settled non-EU citizens in the UK amid political discussions in which opposition parties are proposing changes to the rules for individuals who hold indefinite leave to remain (ILR). The analysis suggests that between 622,000 and 820,000 non-EU citizens held settlement (ILR) in the UK at the end of 2024, excluding around 4 million EU citizens with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

The Migration Observatory has published an analysis by Ben Brindle and Madeleine Sumption which explores what international students do after completing their studies and their transition into the UK labour market. The analysis finds that an increasing number of international students are remaining in the UK and switching to work visas, particularly long-term Skilled Worker visas, which offer a path to permanent residence, as opposed to the Graduate route, which only allows two to three years of stay. This shift was initially fuelled by post-Brexit liberalisations, although policy restrictions, including the 2024 ban on most international students’ family members, and the May 2025 announcement of further restrictions such as shortening the post-study Graduate route from two years to 18 months, may affect future trends. A significant share of former students have entered the care sector, where qualifications equivalent to GCSEs are typically sufficient. As most international students pursue master’s degrees, this suggests they are overqualified, raising concerns about long-term skills development and retention. However, the report finds that students switching from study visas into care roles are less vulnerable to exploitation than those recruited directly from overseas. While reliance on international students has helped address care sector shortages, concerns remain about whether this model is sustainable, particularly as government plans to end overseas recruitment for care workers may increase reliance on in-country student switchers.