Record Migration to Scotland, Levels Attributed to Int’l Student Growth

Net migration figures in Scotland more than doubled within a year, specifically between 2021 and 2022, from 22,200 to 48,800, respectively. In an official statement, the National Records of Scotland (NRS) attributed these levels to an increase in international university students.

According to newly published figures from NRS, net migration to Scotland increased by 119 percent between 2021 and 2022, the highest level over the last decade, Erudera.com reports.

“This increase is a result of higher levels of international migration into Scotland. 36,300 more people moved to Scotland from outside the UK than left in the year to June 2022, compared with 13,300 in the previous year,” NRS statement reads.

Government data indicate that more than 83,000 students from over 180 countries chose programs at Scottish universities, making up a quarter of the total student population. Earlier this year, new plans were unveiled to welcome more international students and lure them to stay in the country after graduation.

Scotland is home to some of the leading universities worldwide. Eleven universities in Scotland ranked in the top 200 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings this year.

Commenting on figures by National Records of Scotland, Esther Roughsedge, Head of Population and Migration Statistics, said that a higher level of net migration is the result of an increase in the number of international students enrolled at Scottish universities.

“This increase is likely to be the result of a substantial rise in the number of international students studying at universities in Scotland. International migration is highest into the big cities, particularly Glasgow and Edinburgh,” she said.

Roughsedge further explained that more people move to Scotland from other parts of the United Kingdom every year than leave, an average of 9,000 people per year in the past ten years.

The number of people migrating to Scotland from the rest of the UK increased to 12,500 in the year to June 2022. This number was 8,900 in 2021.

“The report shows that more people from other parts of the UK moved to Edinburgh than any other place in Scotland,” Roughsedge added.

According to research from IDP Connect in 2023, most international students choose Canada, Australia, the United States, and then the UK. Those who settle in Scotland said they do so because of the high quality of education in the country, safety for international students, and better job opportunities.

Over 83,000 international students in Scotland during the 2022/23 academic year contributed a total of £4.2 billion to the Scottish economy.

The government announced a series of restrictions last year to reduce migration to the UK, including no longer allowing some international students to bring their family members to the country.

© Ross Sneddon | Unsplash

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