Blogs
We publish blogs that draw on data and research, and through them we inform debate, spark discussion, and explore the wider implications of current developments.
Analysis, Commentary and Research Updates
Explore our latest publications on immigration and asylum policies. Stay informed with well-researched insights.
Don’t Be Fooled – This Government Is Not In Control Of Illegal Immigration
The Home Office today (9th September) issued a press release titled, ‘For the first time, small boat migrants arriving in the UK face being detained and returned to France’. Promising title – but is it…
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Cutting Student Visas: Bringing Migration Under Control
The numbers speak for themselves. In 2024, student visas accounted for 45% of all UK entry visas issued – the single largest route for legal migration. This surge is no accident. In 2019, ministers set…
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Migration Is Changing Your Area – Just Look At These Numbers.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its official estimates for the population of England and Wales yesterday, and the results make for dire reading. Already the headlines are coming in thick and fast: “Migration fuels population…
Learn MoreA Shocking Year, Strewn With Failure. Pull Your Socks up or go!
It’s been exactly one year since Labour won the 2024 General Election. Given that “immigration and asylum” was the second-most important issue for voters at the time – and by far the most important issue for Conservative…
Learn MoreWar In Iran Will Only Make Britain’s Migration Crisis Worse
The regional fallouts of the conflict engulfing Iran are yet to reveal themselves, but one catastrophic consequence is definitely not in doubt: Britain’s migration crisis will further deepen. Iran is already the nation from which…
Learn MoreIs The Prime Minister’s Plan Working?
Can the government stop the boats? Speaking in Dover today, the Prime Minister gave an update on his pledge to stop small boats crossing the English Channel. Illegal crossings, he said, are down 20 per…
Learn MoreA Passage From India – Explaining The Unexpected Rise Of Indians Crossing The Channel
This week the government disclosed that in 2023 Indians have been the second largest group of people illegally crossing the English Channel in small boats, making up 18 per cent of all crossings. Although the increase…
Learn MoreFrom Baghdad To Bournemouth – Granting Refuge To Terrorists
It emerged in the Daily Mail recently that among those who illegally entered the UK in a dinghy last year were 19 suspected terrorists, several of whom are thought to have been members of the…
Learn MoreDoes Britain Think Immigration Is Too High?
Polling is central to modern politics. For governments, it is a means of testing public reaction to policies. More and more nowadays it is done with focus groups to test the popularity or otherwise of…
Learn MoreBoris Johnson’s Proposed Illegal Immigration Amnesty
Commenting, Alp Mehmet, Vice Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “It seems Mr Johnson is considering an amnesty for illegal immigrants in order to avoid another Windrush. This makes no sense. Those wrongly caught up in Windrush had every right to be here and bear no comparison to people who have either entered
The United Kingdom’s Points Based System
Summary The UK already has a Points Based System (PBS) but it has failed to reduce, or even control, immigration. It needs reinforcement, not disruptive change. The Australian system operates entirely differently – its main purpose is to increase, not to reduce, immigration. The UK Experience A PBS was introduced
Written Evidence Submitted By Migration Watch To House Of Commons Public Bill Committee On The Immigration And Social Security Co-ordination Bill
Spring 2019 Summary: 1. We are a migration think tank. We monitor developments in the field, conduct research and make policy suggestions. We believe that immigration policy should be formulated so that it benefits the people of the UK and accords with the national interest. While immigration can have a
Why Should We Allow International Graduates To Stay On And Stack Shelves?
The government has announced the introduction of a two-year post-study work route for foreign graduates of UK universities. It is already the case that are no limits on the number of international students who can remain in the UK if they move into skilled roles. However, the fact that only
Immigration Implications Of Indicative Votes
Summary Parliament are conducting further indicative votes today. The immigration implications of the four options are outlined below. As long as the UK leaves the EU and EEA it should be able to assert sovereign control over immigration although pressure for concessions might arise in future trade negotiations. (see our paper).
How Much Control Do Member States Have Over Free Movement?
Summary The suggestion that Belgium has shown that inflows of EU citizens can be controlled despite free movement is simply wrong. While EU law makes provision for certain restrictions on entry and stay, the scope is limited and both technical and practical issues severely restrict its application in practice. Context