The Migration Observatory informs debates on international migration and public policy.
Learn more about us
The Migration Observatory informs debates on international migration and public policy.
Learn more about us
Unauthorised migration in the UK
This briefing examines unauthorised migration—also known as ‘illegal immigration’ or ‘irregular migration’—in the UK.
Net migration to the UK
Covering the scale of immigration and net migration in the UK since the early 2000s
Labour’s pledges on migration: the data
Commentary explaining what the data do and do not tell us about the Labour government’s progress towards its goals as it begins implementing its plans.
commentary 12 Jun 2026
This commentary answers some frequently asked questions about how asylum claims are made, how they are decided, how those decisions can be challenged, and what happens to successful and unsuccessful asylum seekers.
briefing 05 Jun 2026
commentary 02 Jun 2026
commentary 29 May 2026
briefing 27 May 2026
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12 Jun 2026
Contact Us
T: +44 (0) 1865 612 375
E: migrationobservatory@compas.ox.ac.uk
Connections
This Migration Observatory is kindly supported by the following organisations.
The Migration Observatory, at the University of Oxford COMPAS (Centre on Migration, Policy and Society)
University of Oxford,
58 Banbury Road,
Oxford, OX2 6QS
commentary 17 Jun 2026
Essay: Migration ten years after the EU referendum
A short analysis arguing that the post-Brexit immigration system broke its promise to reduce migration partly by accident, and partly by design.