The decline in UK immigration is exaggerated and signals a broader crisis in society and the economy

Hein de Haas examines what is behind the decrease in immigration to the UK and finds that politicians have overstated the impact they have had. A large part of it may be explained by reasons other than the government’s tough rules, such as the poor performance of the UK’s economy, wage levels, and labour demand. Student migration, which explains most of the drop, can also be caused by other factors such as high tuition fees and growing competition from foreign universities. He argues that immigration is a bellwether phenomenon that reflects the more general state of society and the economy.