Admissions
Valid: 25 August to 24 November 2011
Interpreting the figures
The figures show the number of journeys made by persons entering the United Kingdom. Where an individual enters the country more than once, each arrival is counted. For passengers subject to immigration control arriving who have previously obtained leave to enter, the journey is recorded as ‘returning after a temporary absence abroad’. Due to the volume of passengers arriving at Heathrow and Gatwick some data are estimated from monthly samples.
Some major components of the total (visitors, passengers returning and passengers in transit) reflect, to a large extent, trends in international tourism. The number of other admissions (e.g. for work, study or family reasons) are likely to reflect trends in international migration and related policy and legislative changes affecting those subject to immigration control, for example changes in the immigration rules, enlargement of the European Union, and the introduction of the Points Based System for work and study in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
All people admitted are subject to immigration control except British, other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals.
The Immigration Statistics User Guide provides further details.
Most data in this briefing are rounded to 3 significant figures.
Key facts
The total number of admissions has changed little between 2009 and 2010, having fallen in earlier years. It has fallen by a total of 8.0 million (-7%) from a high of 109.5 million in 2007, to 101.4 million in 2009 and 101.5 million in 2010. Compared with 2007 there were 11 million fewer journeys (-15%) by British nationals and 0.9 million fewer journeys ( 7%) by nationals subject to immigration control, but an increase of 3.9 million journeys by other EEA and Swiss nationals (+16%).
There were 12.5 million admissions in 2010 of nationals subject to immigration control, most of whom were visitors (7.0 million), people returning after a temporary absence abroad (3.3 million), or people in-transit (1.1 million).
The 12.5 million admissions of nationals subject to immigration control accounted for 12% of the total. The number of admissions of such nationals was slightly higher than 2009 (12.3 million) but 0.9 million lower than 2007 (13.4 million). The 0.9 million fall included 520,000 fewer visitors, 460,000 fewer passengers in-transit, 41,000 fewer admissions for work reasons and 15,300 fewer admissions for family reasons, but was offset by an increase of 157,000 admissions for study.
Data tables
Further data on admissions are available in Tables ad.01 to ad.05.
Total admissions
Chart notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April – June 2011, Table ad.01.
Admissions by category – nationals subject to immigration control
The Points Based System was introduced for work and study during 2008 and 2009 respectively, while the student visitor category was introduced during 2007.
Admissions for work in 2010 (163,000) were similar to 2009 (161,000). The level was around 20% less than 2007 (204,000) and 30% less than 2004 (233,000). This is likely to be partly due to the tightening of controls on the inward migration of workers.
Admissions for study in 2010 (535,000) increased by 9% compared with 2009 (489,000). Of those in 2010, 45% (240,000) were made by student visitors, who have a limited period of stay (generally six months) and cannot apply to extend that stay, 21% higher than 2009 (198,000). Excluding student visitors, a total of 295,000 people and their dependants entered to study, 1% higher than 2009 (291,000).
Admissions for family reasons in 2010 (37,300) increased slightly (2%) compared with 2009 (36,600). The numbers of admissions of people granted entry as a spouse or fiancé(e) fell to 28,100, 40% lower than the peak in 2006 (47,100).
Detailed briefing on the trends of passengers arriving for work and study reasons are available in the ‘Work’ and ‘Study’ topics.
Admissions by nationalities – nationals subject to immigration control
29% of the journeys by those subject to immigration control were made by USA nationals (3.6 million), the majority of which (54%) were visitors. Australian nationals (1.1 million) were the next highest group followed by nationals of India (0.9 million), Canada (0.9 million) and Japan (0.5 million).
Other related data
Further briefing on those arriving who are not subject to immigration control is available in the ‘EEA’ topic.
Date: Thu Aug 25 09:30:00 BST 2011