Accredited official statistics

About this release

Published 23 February 2017

23 February 2017 to 24 May 2017

Back to Immigration statistics October to December 2016 content page.

The Immigration Statistics quarterly release gives an overview of work on immigration control, entry clearance, asylum and enforcement within the Home Office, including the work of UK Border Force and UK Visas and Immigration. It helps inform users including the government, Parliament, the media and the wider public, and supports the development and monitoring of policy.

The release includes the following section briefings: Work, Study, Family, Passenger arrivals and visitors, Extensions, Settlement, Citizenship, Asylum, Returns and Detention. Detailed tables of figures provide data up to the fourth quarter of 2016 (October to December).

The Immigration Statistics release is a National Statistics output produced to the highest professional standards and free from political interference. It has been produced by statisticians working in the Migration and Borders Analysis Unit within the Home Office Science Unit in accordance with the Home Office’s ‘Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics’ which covers our policy on revisions and other matters. The Chief Statistician, as Head of Profession, reports to the National Statistician with respect to all professional statistical matters and oversees all Home Office National Statistics products with respect to the Code, being responsible for their timing, content and methodology.

1. National Statistics

The UK Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:

• meet identified user needs
• are well explained and readily accessible
• are produced according to sound methods
• are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest

Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed.

The assessment report (No. 177) and letter of confirmation as National Statistics can be viewed on the UK Statistics Authority website, Publications: Assessment Report.

2. Changes to topic briefings and tables

The information published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics is kept under review, taking into account the needs of users, burdens on suppliers and producers, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Feedback on the changes detailed below, and proposals for future changes, are welcome. If you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please contact the team via email using: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

2.1 Citizenship

Applications for British citizenship are now shown broken down by broad category (naturalisation and registration) in table cz 01 q.

2.2 Staying in the UK

In February 2017 the Home Office published ‘Statistics on changes in migrants’ visa and leave status: 2015’, which shows how non-European Economic Area (EEA) migrants change their immigration status or achieve settlement in the UK.

2.3 Revisions to data

Within the Returns section there have been revisions relating to the category ‘other verified returns’. Retrospective checks mean that figures for voluntary returns are subject to upward revision. This is particularly for ‘other verified returns’ that are generated as a result of detailed retrospective data-matching, but some more limited revision is needed for ‘controlled returns’ to allow time for recording notifications from those who have departed. In light of this, voluntary returns (excluding returns from detention) for the third quarter of 2016 have been revised upwards from 4,809 to 5,832 (+21% increase) as well as a 3% rise in the second quarter (6,073 to 6,273).

2.4 Consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) ran a consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs that closed on 23 December 2016. Although ONS published the consultation, it included questions on presentation of statistics from other government departments (Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)) that contribute to the Migration Statistics Quarterly Report (MSQR) or that are published as separate National Statistics relating to migration.

The purpose of this consultation was to gather insight and seek views on the presentation and timing of the government’s international migration statistics outputs and, specifically, what products are used, why and what other data could be published.

The Home Office Migration Statistics team are currently reviewing responses to this consultation and will report on the outcome in due course. Further details of the consultation can be found at Consultation on International Migration Statistics Outputs.

2.5 Migration transparency data webpage

A range of key input and impact indicators are currently published by the Home Office on the Migration transparency data webpage.

3. Future changes

3.1 Landing cards

As plans progress for implementing digital services at the border, the future of landing cards is being considered. The likely withdrawal of landing cards at some point will involve looking at data from the new systems to see if it can be developed to provide replacement information that is both as comparable as possible and which minimises any gaps in the time series. Currently Tables ad_01 to ad_03_o draw heavily on landing cards data.

4. Migration Statistics User Forum

The Migration Statistics User Forum has been established for discussion of international migration statistics, allowing users to discuss their need for and use of the data and for producers to consult on presentation and changes. The main focus is on figures for the UK, but this would not exclude discussion of migration statistics for other countries. Home Office Science intends to use this list for communication with users, including data and release developments. The Forum is a user-led group, with over 200 members, that is now affiliated to the Royal Statistical Society.

The list also provides access to contact details for the Home Office’s Migration Statistics team via downloading from this link MIGRATION-STATS File Area.

The distribution list is available to join through the MIGRATION-STATS JISCmail list.

Copies of the presentations made at the last annual conference of the Forum, held on 21 September 2016, are available at Migration Statistics User Forum Conference 2016.

The next conference of the Migration Statistics User Forum is currently planned for 27 September 2017. Details will be sent to members of the Forum via the distribution list closer to the date.

5. Further information and feedback

We welcome feedback on Immigration Statistics. If you have any comments, suggestions, enquiries or need assistance in accessing the data, please email them to: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Or write to:

The Editor, Immigration Statistics
Migration Statistics
17th Floor Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

Press enquiries should be made to:

Home Office Press Office
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Tel: 020 7035 3535

The Home Office Responsible Statistician is Chris Kershaw. The Home Office Migration Statistics mission statement is:

We produce timely, accurate and objective statistics on immigration to support effective delivery of Home Office objectives and to inform government, Parliament and the public.