Short-Term Migration Report

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recently published its Short-Term International Migration Annual Report for the year ending mid-2012.

The ONS defines a short-term migrant as someone who visits a country other than that of his or her usual residence for a period of less than one year, as opposed to a long-term migrant, who changes their country of usual residence for a year or more.

Highlights of the report include:

• Short-term international emigration was higher than short-term international immigration in mid-2012: 225,000 visits were made to England and Wales for 3-12 months, compared to 351,000 visits away from England and Wales for 3-12 months.
• Short-term international emigration for 3-12 months by England and Wales residents aged 65 and over was 66,000 in mid-2012, a statistically significant increase from 39,000 the previous year and the highest estimate since mid-2008.
• France and India were the most common countries visited by England and Wales residents for 3-12 months in mid-2012.
• Four out of every ten short-term international visits to England and Wales for 3-12 months were for ‘other’ reasons, such as holidays and visiting family, with a further three in ten visits made to study (63,000 visits).
• Two out of every ten short-term international visits to England and Wales for 3-12 months were for employment in mid-2012 (47,000 visits), with a further one in ten (22,000 visits) made on business for an overseas employer.
• India and Poland were the most common countries of residence for short-term migrants visiting England and Wales for 3-12 months.
• 202,000 short-term (less than one year) visas were issued in 2013 (work, study and student visitor categories); this figure has gradually increased from 139,000 in 2009. The majority of short-term visas in 2013 were issued to nationals of Asian countries (107,000).
• Local authorities in London had the highest estimates of short-term international immigration for both employment and study in mid-2012.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0.

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