For the first time in around two decades, Indians are leaving Sweden. Recent data shows that the number of Indians who are migrating from Sweden back to India has outnumbered those who are arriving in the European country. This change in trend was noticed earlier this year and determined by population data from Statistics Sweden.

According to the data, between January and June, a total of 2837 people of Indian origin have already left Sweden, showing a 171 per cent increase compared to last year. This has made Indians the biggest community to emigrate, even ahead of people born in China, Iraq, and Syria.

Sweden has experienced a negative migration of Indians in the first six months of 2024. It is the first time that the European country has observed such a large number of people leaving since 1998.

The data also showed that a total of 2461 Indian-born individuals had already shifted from Sweden between January and June. If we eliminate the COVID-19 factor from this context, it is the lowest immigration Sweden has experienced since 2017.

Earlier this year there has been a decent increase in Indian immigration since 2009 because of Sweden's strategic relation and ties with Nordic nations which led to hiring more people in the IT sector.&nbsp;

<h2>Let’s understand the reason behind this negative emigration.</h2>

An Indian-origin man based in Sweden took to X and said why he believes Indians no longer see Sweden as a viable option to stay.

Ankur Tyagi, in his viral post about Sweden experiencing negative emigration, says, “Despite enjoying beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and new experiences, many Indians are now finding themselves drawn back to India.”

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Why Indians Are Moving Back to India from Sweden. 
 
After enjoying Sweden's beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and new experiences, many Indians are finding themselves drawn back to India. 
 
As an Indian living in Sweden, here are my thoughts on why this trend is becoming more… <a href="https://t.co/1bHb8On05e">https://t.co/1bHb8On05e</a>
— Ankur💻🎧💪 (@TheAnkurTyagi) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAnkurTyagi/status/1826261984326672699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Some of the factors he mentioned are:</h2>

Professional growth: The Indian economy is thriving, opening more exciting career opportunities and offering competitive salaries, which makes India a more viable place to go.

Loneliness: This is an emotional factor for Indians who miss their hometown, as Indian-origin people have a very deep cultural identity which is lacking in Sweden.

Cultural and language barriers: Lack of Swedish language skills and understanding&nbsp;of culture can be one of the reasons for Indians to miss their hometown.

Job market and cost of living: While Sweden provides a good lifestyle, finding a job in the European country can be quite a task. The living cost is also quite high in Stockholm when compared to many other countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

For the first time in around two decades, Indians are leaving Sweden. Recent data shows that the number of Indians who are migrating from Sweden back to India has outnumbered those who are arriving in the European country.

For the first time in around two decades, Indians are leaving Sweden. Recent data shows that the number of Indians who are migrating from Sweden back to India has outnumbered those who are arriving in the European country. This change in trend was noticed earlier this year and determined by population data from Statistics Sweden. According to the data, between January and June, a total of 2837 people of Indian origin have already left Sweden, showing a 171 per cent increase compared to last year. This has made Indians the biggest community to emigrate, even ahead of people born in China, Iraq, and Syria. Sweden has experienced a negative migration of Indians in the first six months of 2024. It is the first time that the European country has observed such a large number of people leaving since 1998. The data also showed that a total of 2461 Indian-born individuals had already shifted from Sweden between January and June. If we eliminate the COVID-19 factor from this context, it is the lowest immigration Sweden has experienced since 2017. Earlier this year there has been a decent increase in Indian immigration since 2009 because of Sweden's strategic relation and ties with Nordic nations which led to hiring more people in the IT sector. Let’s understand the reason behind this negative emigration. An Indian-origin man based in Sweden took to X and said why he believes Indians no longer see Sweden as a viable option to stay. Ankur Tyagi, in his viral post about Sweden experiencing negative emigration, says, “Despite enjoying beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and new experiences, many Indians are now finding themselves drawn back to India.” Why Indians Are Moving Back to India from Sweden. After enjoying Sweden's beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and new experiences, many Indians are finding themselves drawn back to India. As an Indian living in Sweden, here are my thoughts on why this trend is becoming more… https://t.co/1bHb8On05e — Ankur💻🎧💪 (@TheAnkurTyagi) August 21, 2024 × Some of the factors he mentioned are: Professional growth: The Indian economy is thriving, opening more exciting career opportunities and offering competitive salaries, which makes India a more viable place to go. Loneliness: This is an emotional factor for Indians who miss their hometown, as Indian-origin people have a very deep cultural identity which is lacking in Sweden. Cultural and language barriers: Lack of Swedish language skills and understanding of culture can be one of the reasons for Indians to miss their hometown. Job market and cost of living: While Sweden provides a good lifestyle, finding a job in the European country can be quite a task. The living cost is also quite high in Stockholm when compared to many other countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Why are Indians leaving Sweden? Here's what you need to know

Following Moscow's announcement of a recruitment drive this week for duty in the Ukraine military operation, Kazakh officials said on Friday that there had been more visitors to&nbsp;Russia's neighbouring country.&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first mobilisation since World War II on Wednesday and supported a proposal to annex&nbsp;large portions of Ukraine, which caused a flurry of conscription-eligible males to leave the nation.&nbsp;

The second-longest border in the world, which consists of 30 road checkpoints, was particularly crowded at four of them, according to a statement from Kazakhstan's border guard service, which did not provide any arrivals data.

Reuters spoke with a witness who requested anonymity out of concern for his safety. The witness said they had been in line at the border checkpoint since Thursday morning and had noticed unusually heavy traffic coming from Russia as well as prolonged, thorough inspections of Russian vehicles by Russian border guards.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-full-day-of-mobilisation-in-russia-marked-by-tears-and-protests-reports-suggest-100-conscription-518945">&nbsp;First full day of mobilisation in Russia marked by tears and protests, reports suggest 100% conscription</a>

The witness reported that many of those trying to cross the border were guys who appeared to be under 35 and of conscription age.&nbsp;

Online videos of Kazakh truck drivers crossing the border reveal lengthy lines that are primarily made up of passenger automobiles.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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Following Moscow's announcement of a recruitment drive this week for duty in the Ukraine military operation, Kazakh officials said on Friday that there had been more visitors to Russia's neighbouring country.

Following Moscow's announcement of a recruitment drive this week for duty in the Ukraine military operation, Kazakh officials said on Friday that there had been more visitors to Russia's neighbouring country. President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's first mobilisation since World War II on Wednesday and supported a proposal to annex large portions of Ukraine, which caused a flurry of conscription-eligible males to leave the nation. The second-longest border in the world, which consists of 30 road checkpoints, was particularly crowded at four of them, according to a statement from Kazakhstan's border guard service, which did not provide any arrivals data. Reuters spoke with a witness who requested anonymity out of concern for his safety. The witness said they had been in line at the border checkpoint since Thursday morning and had noticed unusually heavy traffic coming from Russia as well as prolonged, thorough inspections of Russian vehicles by Russian border guards. Also Read: First full day of mobilisation in Russia marked by tears and protests, reports suggest 100% conscription The witness reported that many of those trying to cross the border were guys who appeared to be under 35 and of conscription age. Online videos of Kazakh truck drivers crossing the border reveal lengthy lines that are primarily made up of passenger automobiles. (with inputs from agencies)

Russians emigrating to Kazakhstan in big numbers amid conscription drive

As per a survey of fifteen African countries, the youth of the continent are fast losing confidence in their countries and the continent as a whole reports the Guardian.&nbsp;The African Youth Survey 2022 which was conducted by the Ichikowitz foundation saw 4,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 interviewed, out of which only 32 per cent said that they were optimistic about Africa's prospects. This is an eleven per cent drop from earlier figures.&nbsp;In 2020 a similar survey had 43 per cent of the participants expressing optimism.&nbsp;As per the survey, the pandemic, climate crisis, violence in the continent and political instability are making the people "jittery" about their futures in their respective countries.

However, about 75 per cent of the people showed a positive outlook for their personal futures, believing that things could look up.

Watch |&nbsp;One Africa: Survivors recount Nigerian church massacre; Bitcoin rise in central African republic

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The frustration over their prospects in the continent has led many to harbour the desire to emigrate to foreign nations. As per the 2020 survey, about two-thirds had plans to stay in Africa, now more than half, or 52 per cent wanted to move abroad.

According to Ivor Ichikowitz, whose&nbsp;family foundation commissioned the survey, many of those surveyed&nbsp;had their schooling suspended and lost income as a result of the pandemic.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-after-ryanair-forces-south-africans-to-prove-nationality-with-controversial-afrikaans-test-486577">Outrage after Ryanair forces South Africans to prove nationality with controversial Afrikaans test</a>

“In many countries in Africa, it’s an election year or a year just before elections, and it’s kind of logical that people will see instability as a concern,” the Guardian quoted Ichikowitz as saying.

“But marry that with lack of access to water, marry that with a major concern around terrorism, and you’ve now got a demographic a group of people that are very jittery about the future of the continent,” he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-african-president-cyril-ramaphosa-rubbishes-allegations-of-improper-conduct-claims-innocence-485860">South African President Cyril Ramaphosa rubbishes allegations of improper conduct, claims innocence</a>

“And the real bombshell out of the survey is that a very high percentage of the people in the response group are thinking about migration.”

As per the survey, sixty per cent of the African population is younger than 25, and more than one-third are aged between 15 and 34. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 42 per cent of the global youth population will be African.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As per a survey of fifteen African countries, the youth of the continent are fast losing confidence in their countries and the continent as a whole reports the Guardian.

As per a survey of fifteen African countries, the youth of the continent are fast losing confidence in their countries and the continent as a whole reports the Guardian. The African Youth Survey 2022 which was conducted by the Ichikowitz foundation saw 4,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 interviewed, out of which only 32 per cent said that they were optimistic about Africa's prospects. This is an eleven per cent drop from earlier figures. In 2020 a similar survey had 43 per cent of the participants expressing optimism. As per the survey, the pandemic, climate crisis, violence in the continent and political instability are making the people "jittery" about their futures in their respective countries. However, about 75 per cent of the people showed a positive outlook for their personal futures, believing that things could look up. Watch | One Africa: Survivors recount Nigerian church massacre; Bitcoin rise in central African republic The frustration over their prospects in the continent has led many to harbour the desire to emigrate to foreign nations. As per the 2020 survey, about two-thirds had plans to stay in Africa, now more than half, or 52 per cent wanted to move abroad. According to Ivor Ichikowitz, whose family foundation commissioned the survey, many of those surveyed had their schooling suspended and lost income as a result of the pandemic. Also read | Outrage after Ryanair forces South Africans to prove nationality with controversial Afrikaans test “In many countries in Africa, it’s an election year or a year just before elections, and it’s kind of logical that people will see instability as a concern,” the Guardian quoted Ichikowitz as saying. “But marry that with lack of access to water, marry that with a major concern around terrorism, and you’ve now got a demographic a group of people that are very jittery about the future of the continent,” he added. Also read | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa rubbishes allegations of improper conduct, claims innocence “And the real bombshell out of the survey is that a very high percentage of the people in the response group are thinking about migration.” As per the survey, sixty per cent of the African population is younger than 25, and more than one-third are aged between 15 and 34. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 42 per cent of the global youth population will be African. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Jittery' with worries about future in the continent, more than half of Africa's youth wants to move abroad

Pictures: Homecoming to Israel for 'lost' Jews in India delayed by COVID-19

Polish teenager Franciszek Filipowski has just signed on for his first job at a vegetarian restaurant in Warsaw and thanks to a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-scraps-income-tax-for-young-workers-239679">new government measure</a>, he will not be paying taxes.

"The current party in power has scrapped taxes for those under the age of 26," the 19-year-old told AFP.&nbsp;

"That way, they appear sympathetic towards young voters," he said, suggesting it could be a calculated political move ahead of a general election in October.

The tax break, which came into effect on August 1, could benefit around two million youths in the country of 38 million people, as it only applies to employees, not young entrepreneurs, according to Deputy Finance Minister Leszek Skiba.

He told AFP he hopes the legislation will encourage young people to quickly join the labour market, which is increasingly lacking in workers.&nbsp;

The under-26 workforce will now receive fatter paychecks since their employers no longer have to hold back 18 per cent of the salary to hand over to tax authorities.&nbsp;

'Magic wand'

The government is also hoping the measure will discourage young people from emigrating in search of higher wages.

"It's impossible to predict everything... but we think that any young people who are debating whether to stay or go work abroad will see that the gap between their net salary here and abroad is diminishing and that will motivate them to stay in Poland," Skiba said.&nbsp;

In addition, "some of those who are already in Western Europe -- in Germany, Britain, France or Ireland -- will see a reason to consider a return home," he said.&nbsp;

Skiba said the state could see around 2.5 billion zloty (580 million euros, $650 million) less in revenue, half of which would have gone to government coffers and half to local authorities.&nbsp;

'Populism'

Another young man interviewed by AFP, 23-year-old Jan Piotrowski, said he is sceptical regarding the whole initiative.&nbsp;

"The idea was floated just before the EU elections, so there's an element of populism," said Piotrowski, who had previously worked in commerce and at a bank and is now looking for a job in the logistics sector.&nbsp;

"I don't expect to receive a windfall. More something along the lines of an extra 100 to 200 zloty (23-46 euros, $26-52)" per month, he said.&nbsp;

There are no statistics for the average monthly wage specifically for young people, only for the working population as a whole, where it is a net 3,700 zloty (860 euros).&nbsp;

But to provide an idea of how marginal the increase in a young person's take-home pay might be: a burger costs around 25 zloty.

Piotrowski said he has been "considering moving abroad for work over the last couple years" and such a small amount extra will not sway him.&nbsp;

"I don't like the current government's policies and I don't expect them to change. A lot of my friends have the same view," he told AFP.

"Polish salaries won't skyrocket. Housing is expensive, the price of food is going up as well, slowly but surely,"

Some economists are also not convinced by the government plan.&nbsp;

"Eliminating this tax won't make much of a difference for the economy," said Andrzej Sadowski, president of the Adam Smith Centre, a Polish think-tank espousing free market views.

"For an employer, it's not the 18 per cent tax on income that's expensive, it's the social security charges of just over 40 per cent," he told AFP.&nbsp;

Employees pay about 24 per cent of their gross salary in social security contributions in Poland and employers around 18 per cent.

Like Sweden

Still, he believes that it is employers who will benefit the most from the programme.

"Now when they hire a young person, they'll be able to offer a salary on which they won't have to pay 18 per cent in taxes," he said.&nbsp;

Sadowski does not discount an electoral motivation for the legislation, saying that "in Poland, like in France, the government often gives voters gifts ahead of the election."

"In this particular case, the measure favouring youths is meant to offset the negative effect of higher social security charges for small businesses," which are to come into effect in January, he said.&nbsp;

Supporters of the new tax break see a precedent in Sweden, where in 2007 the centre-right government slashed employer charges in half for people under 26 years of age to ease their access to the job market.

The following centre-left administration scrapped the move in 2016, saying it was ineffective.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Polish teenager Franciszek Filipowski has just signed on for his first job at a vegetarian restaurant in Warsaw and thanks to a new government measure, he will not be paying taxes.

Polish teenager Franciszek Filipowski has just signed on for his first job at a vegetarian restaurant in Warsaw and thanks to a new government measure, he will not be paying taxes. "The current party in power has scrapped taxes for those under the age of 26," the 19-year-old told AFP. "That way, they appear sympathetic towards young voters," he said, suggesting it could be a calculated political move ahead of a general election in October. The tax break, which came into effect on August 1, could benefit around two million youths in the country of 38 million people, as it only applies to employees, not young entrepreneurs, according to Deputy Finance Minister Leszek Skiba. He told AFP he hopes the legislation will encourage young people to quickly join the labour market, which is increasingly lacking in workers. The under-26 workforce will now receive fatter paychecks since their employers no longer have to hold back 18 per cent of the salary to hand over to tax authorities. 'Magic wand' The government is also hoping the measure will discourage young people from emigrating in search of higher wages. "It's impossible to predict everything... but we think that any young people who are debating whether to stay or go work abroad will see that the gap between their net salary here and abroad is diminishing and that will motivate them to stay in Poland," Skiba said. In addition, "some of those who are already in Western Europe -- in Germany, Britain, France or Ireland -- will see a reason to consider a return home," he said. Skiba said the state could see around 2.5 billion zloty (580 million euros, $650 million) less in revenue, half of which would have gone to government coffers and half to local authorities. 'Populism' Another young man interviewed by AFP, 23-year-old Jan Piotrowski, said he is sceptical regarding the whole initiative. "The idea was floated just before the EU elections, so there's an element of populism," said Piotrowski, who had previously worked in commerce and at a bank and is now looking for a job in the logistics sector. "I don't expect to receive a windfall. More something along the lines of an extra 100 to 200 zloty (23-46 euros, $26-52)" per month, he said. There are no statistics for the average monthly wage specifically for young people, only for the working population as a whole, where it is a net 3,700 zloty (860 euros). But to provide an idea of how marginal the increase in a young person's take-home pay might be: a burger costs around 25 zloty. Piotrowski said he has been "considering moving abroad for work over the last couple years" and such a small amount extra will not sway him. "I don't like the current government's policies and I don't expect them to change. A lot of my friends have the same view," he told AFP. "Polish salaries won't skyrocket. Housing is expensive, the price of food is going up as well, slowly but surely," Some economists are also not convinced by the government plan. "Eliminating this tax won't make much of a difference for the economy," said Andrzej Sadowski, president of the Adam Smith Centre, a Polish think-tank espousing free market views. "For an employer, it's not the 18 per cent tax on income that's expensive, it's the social security charges of just over 40 per cent," he told AFP. Employees pay about 24 per cent of their gross salary in social security contributions in Poland and employers around 18 per cent. Like Sweden Still, he believes that it is employers who will benefit the most from the programme. "Now when they hire a young person, they'll be able to offer a salary on which they won't have to pay 18 per cent in taxes," he said. Sadowski does not discount an electoral motivation for the legislation, saying that "in Poland, like in France, the government often gives voters gifts ahead of the election." "In this particular case, the measure favouring youths is meant to offset the negative effect of higher social security charges for small businesses," which are to come into effect in January, he said. Supporters of the new tax break see a precedent in Sweden, where in 2007 the centre-right government slashed employer charges in half for people under 26 years of age to ease their access to the job market. The following centre-left administration scrapped the move in 2016, saying it was ineffective.

Poland scraps taxes for young adults to curb emigration

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-on-sensitive-trip-to-orthodox-bulgaria-and-north-macedonia-215678">Pope Francis</a> urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration.

Francis made the comments during a speech at the presidential palace in Sofia during a two-day visit to Bulgaria, his first and the first by a Pope in 17 years.

Using a play on Winston Churchill's famous phrase about an "iron curtain" falling over a divided Europe after World War Two, Francis said new divisions were lacerating the face of the continent 30 years after the fall of communism.

Bulgaria, which joined the European Union in 2007, remains its poorest member state. More than two million Bulgarians have left the country since the fall of communism for better jobs and living standards in western Europe, leaving a current population of about seven million.

Francis also met with leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He moves to North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Pope Francis urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration.

Pope Francis urged European leaders on Sunday to address wealth inequality and low birth rates which he said had created an "ice curtain" between Europe's richer and poorer states and was fuelling emigration. Francis made the comments during a speech at the presidential palace in Sofia during a two-day visit to Bulgaria, his first and the first by a Pope in 17 years. Using a play on Winston Churchill's famous phrase about an "iron curtain" falling over a divided Europe after World War Two, Francis said new divisions were lacerating the face of the continent 30 years after the fall of communism. Bulgaria, which joined the European Union in 2007, remains its poorest member state. More than two million Bulgarians have left the country since the fall of communism for better jobs and living standards in western Europe, leaving a current population of about seven million. Francis also met with leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He moves to North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Pope says emigration, low birth rates have brought 'ice curtain' on Europe

The number of Indians migrating to the UK dropped by a significant 10 per cent last year compared with the 2016 figures, according to the data released here today.

 
The UK&#39;s Office of National Statistics (ONS) data showed that Indian nationals continued to dominate the skilled migrant force of the country, with over half of all skilled work visas last year going to Indians.

 
It found that while Indians continued to account for the largest migrant group from outside the European Union (EU), the numbers were 10 per cent lower in 2017 when compared with 2016.

 
The data is based on compulsory National Insurance number registrations made by both short and long-term migrants to Britain.

 
&ldquo;NINo [National Insurance No] registrations, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), are for all nationalities and include both short and long-term migrants&hellip; they can provide useful insights into trends of different nationalities,&rdquo; the ONS said.

 
There were 32 NINo registrations by Indians last year, followed by 12 from Pakistan, 11 from Australia and China and 10 from the US &ndash; as the top five non-EU nationalities coming to live in Britain in 2017.

 
The data stated that study visas also showed a high percentage of Indians coming to study at UK universities, with China, the US and India collectively accounting for over half (53 per cent) of the study-related visas granted in 2017.

 
The largest number of visas were granted to Chinese nationals &ndash; 88,456 or 40 per cent of the total &ndash; with Indians getting 14,445. The figure marks a 28 per cent hike in student visas granted to Indians last year, compared with the previous year.

 
The statistics also indicate a Brexit impact on the flow of migrants to the country, with the number of EU citizens leaving the UK at its highest level.

 
It estimates that 220,000 EU nationals came to live in the UK last year which is 47,000 fewer than 2016, the year of the referendum in favour of Britain&rsquo;s exit from the economic bloc. Net EU migration stood at 90,000 in 2017, the lowest for five years.

 
&quot;Brexit could well be a factor in people&#39;s decision to move to or from the UK, but people&#39;s decision to migrate is complicated and can be influenced by lots of different reasons,&quot; said Nicola White, head of international migration statistics at the ONS.

 
Net migration &ndash; the difference between migrants coming in and leaving the country &ndash; is estimated to have fallen by 29,000 to 244,000 last year, a figure which is still well short of the UK government&#39;s target to reduce net migration to below 100,000 annually.

 
Opposition parties in Britain have attacked the annual migration cap as unrealistic and attacked the Tory government for creating a &quot;hostile&quot; environment for migrants in the country.&nbsp;

The UK's Office of National Statistics data showed that Indian nationals continued to dominate the skilled migrant force of the country

The number of Indians migrating to the UK dropped by a significant 10 per cent last year compared with the 2016 figures, according to the data released here today. The UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS) data showed that Indian nationals continued to dominate the skilled migrant force of the country, with over half of all skilled work visas last year going to Indians. It found that while Indians continued to account for the largest migrant group from outside the European Union (EU), the numbers were 10 per cent lower in 2017 when compared with 2016. The data is based on compulsory National Insurance number registrations made by both short and long-term migrants to Britain. “NINo [National Insurance No] registrations, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), are for all nationalities and include both short and long-term migrants… they can provide useful insights into trends of different nationalities,” the ONS said. There were 32 NINo registrations by Indians last year, followed by 12 from Pakistan, 11 from Australia and China and 10 from the US – as the top five non-EU nationalities coming to live in Britain in 2017. The data stated that study visas also showed a high percentage of Indians coming to study at UK universities, with China, the US and India collectively accounting for over half (53 per cent) of the study-related visas granted in 2017. The largest number of visas were granted to Chinese nationals – 88,456 or 40 per cent of the total – with Indians getting 14,445. The figure marks a 28 per cent hike in student visas granted to Indians last year, compared with the previous year. The statistics also indicate a Brexit impact on the flow of migrants to the country, with the number of EU citizens leaving the UK at its highest level. It estimates that 220,000 EU nationals came to live in the UK last year which is 47,000 fewer than 2016, the year of the referendum in favour of Britain’s exit from the economic bloc. Net EU migration stood at 90,000 in 2017, the lowest for five years. "Brexit could well be a factor in people's decision to move to or from the UK, but people's decision to migrate is complicated and can be influenced by lots of different reasons," said Nicola White, head of international migration statistics at the ONS. Net migration – the difference between migrants coming in and leaving the country – is estimated to have fallen by 29,000 to 244,000 last year, a figure which is still well short of the UK government's target to reduce net migration to below 100,000 annually. Opposition parties in Britain have attacked the annual migration cap as unrealistic and attacked the Tory government for creating a "hostile" environment for migrants in the country.

Fall in number of Indians migrating to UK: Survey

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