Who moves to the United Kingdom
8.7M people have chosen United Kingdom for relocation — #5 most popular destination worldwide
Considering a move to the United Kingdom? — See where people come from, regional patterns, and how it's changed since 1990.
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 30% of all immigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| India | 1044779 |
| Poland | 902193 |
| Romania | 713578 |
| Pakistan | 703309 |
| Ireland | 360446 |
| Italy | 342143 |
| Nigeria | 324007 |
| Bangladesh | 298666 |
| Germany | 287772 |
| Ukraine | 274187 |
| South Africa | 245446 |
| United States | 243570 |
| Spain | 211894 |
| Lithuania | 206668 |
| Portugal | 193901 |
| China | 179337 |
| Philippines | 176515 |
| France | 174571 |
| Sri Lanka | 160178 |
| Ghana | 154782 |
| Jamaica | 146646 |
| Türkiye | 145391 |
| Hong Kong | 142011 |
| Kenya | 137817 |
| Zimbabwe | 132869 |
| Australia | 124319 |
| Iran | 124200 |
| Somalia | 119728 |
| Afghanistan | 99398 |
| Iraq | 99203 |
| Canada | 81845 |
| Malaysia | 66932 |
| New Zealand | 50762 |
| Singapore | 45936 |
| Croatia | 15398 |
By region of origin
Europe is the leading region of origin at 42%
3.7M
3M
1.1M
325.4K
244.6K
175.1K
146.6K
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in the United Kingdom.
Romania is the fastest-growing major source
Immigration from Romania has increased by 277% since 2015, rising from 189.4K to 713.6K in 9 years.
United Kingdom is a primary destination for emigrants from Ireland
United Kingdom attracts 51% of all emigrants from Ireland, making it the leading destination for those leaving the country.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
49% of the population growth of the United Kingdom since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
Top source countries have shifted significantly since 1990
7 new countries have entered the top 20: Romania, Ukraine, Lithuania — Romania rose from outside the top 20 to rank #3.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 2891396 |
| 1995 | 3200636 |
| 2000 | 3662231 |
| 2005 | 4434670 |
| 2010 | 5845649 |
| 2015 | 6722572 |
| 2020 | 7749166 |
| 2024 | 8730397 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | India | Poland | Romania | Pakistan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 405445 | 74813 | 3697 | 227526 | 635576 |
| 1995 | 433162 | 67979 | 5200 | 267139 | 586223 |
| 2000 | 462269 | 61534 | 7201 | 312751 | 540309 |
| 2005 | 561720 | 165337 | 20888 | 387949 | 504766 |
| 2010 | 700150 | 558210 | 69898 | 486938 | 472667 |
| 2015 | 817881 | 728332 | 189427 | 562645 | 431716 |
| 2020 | 946151 | 826408 | 502169 | 642044 | 392620 |
| 2024 | 1044779 | 902193 | 713578 | 703309 | 360446 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
United Kingdom as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in the United Kingdom