Net immigration into the UK is set to once again rise to a record high in 2023, experts in the field have said.
Speaking to a major UK newspaper, immigration experts have predicted that net immigration into the UK will rise to an all-time high figure of around 675,000 in 2023, surpassing the previous record of slightly over 500,000 set last year.
The predicted 2023 figure is set to be over twice that of the highest record set before Britain left the European Union, with the ruling Conservative Party using Brexit as an opportunity to rapidly increase the number of migrants coming to the country.
According to a report by The Telegraph, liberalised immigration laws are to blame for the massive spike in arrivals, with lax rules surrounding student visas as well as the government’s decision to hand out tens of thousands of foreign nationals the status of an asylum seeker or refugee bolstering the country’s yearly intake.
Over 180,000 humanitarian visas have reportedly been issued by authorities to Ukrainians, Afghans and Hong Kongers, with tens of thousands more arriving in the country illegally by crossing the English Channel in small boats.
Experts expect net-migrant intakes to stay at near record highs for the next year or so, with one government agency saying that the figure will eventually fall to as low as 245,000 per annum, though others expect 300,000 to be more realistic a figure.
Tory politicians have remained insistent that the rapid increase in immigration does not mean they betrayed Brexit, despite the fact many voted to leave the EU in order to allow the country to legally tighten border controls.
However, while ministers now insist that they will get a handle on the number of arrivals, the government continues to establish new visa deals with foreign powers outside the EU, something that is likely to increase legal immigration figures even further.