Foreign-born players make up the majority of footballers in eight of the World Cup's 48 squads. At the top of that list is Curaçao, where almost all of the squad were born in the Netherlands (96%). theconversation.com/how-migratio...

Great article on the farce that is 2026 World Cup ticketing. I hope we see plenty of empty seats, to teach FIFA that people won't be willingly ripped off www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

8 of the 48 participating countries in the 2026 MWC have more foreign-born players than non-foreign-born players named to their squad. Highest proportions of players born abroad: Curaçao (96%) Democratic Republic of the Congo (85%) Morocco (73%)

Nearly a quarter of players at this year's World Cup were born in a different country from the one they're representing. But do teams with more migrant players perform better on the pitch? @adamjst.bsky.social and I looked at the evidence. www.compas.ox.ac.uk/article/has-...

I spoke to BBC More or Less about whether migrants will get half of new homes built since mid-2024. As always, it's a bit more complicated than that... You can listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

I'm against most changes to the rules of football (see VAR), but this makes a lot of sense. A massive advantage to a team that wins a coin toss. At the very least, who takes first should be decided by, say, who had more shots on target

Since 2024, the earnings of new non-EU employees (relative to the median) have fallen back significantly, despite the fact that restrictions introduced in 2024/2025 made the work visa system more selective. Why?

UK net migration fell sharply in 2025 to 171,000, down 82% from the historical high in early 2023. Want to know what drove the fall and what might happen to net migration in the years ahead? We've got you covered in our updated briefing. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

Every couple months I check in on the latest Adrian Chiles articles and I’m always absolutely blown away. These are all from the last couple months. The man is operating at an incredibly high level.

Yesterday’s migration figures showed a sharp fall in net migration and a decline in asylum claims. But what explains the changes, and will these trends continue? New from me for @uk.theconversation.com theconversation.com/net-migratio...

New from the ONS: "it is not correct to say that our migration statistics show a recent rise in emigration of British nationals. Instead, changes to the way we estimate Brits moving into and out of the UK have made a previously incomplete picture more accurate". www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...

Today's net migration statistics show that 171,000 more people arrived in the UK than left in 2025. That's down 82% compared to the historical high seen in early 2023 (944,000).

From net migration to asylum hotels and citizenship - here’s what to look for on UK Migration Statistics day according to three Oxford experts. Find out more from the Migration Observatory’s Dr Ben Brindle, Dr Mihnea Cuibus and Dr Nuni Jorgensen ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4dm7JnZ

I can't believe the EFL went as far as expelling Southampton. Right call though IMO Also don't understand why they spied on Ipswich. I could've told you exactly how we'd play before the game #itfc www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Will Thursday's new stats show net migration has fallen into negative territory, with more people leaving than arriving, and does it matter? Here are my thoughts www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-05...

Our latest briefing on migrants in the UK labour market charts the remarkable shift away from EU towards non-EU workers over the past few years. Plus data on migrants' earnings, use of universal credit, overqualification, and much more... migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

"Simply making conditions harsher in the hope it will deter arrivals appears, based on the evidence, unlikely to achieve the desired effect." ✍️ @cbarnard.bsky.social, @fionacostello.bsky.social & Ali Ahmadi on 'pull factors' & whether stricter asylum policies matter 🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/what-are-the...

Are migrants more likely to claim benefits than UK nationals? In March 2025, 15% of individuals in receipt of a Universal Credit payment were non-UK (and non-Irish) nationals aged 16 or over. This compares to just over 13% of non-UK or Irish nationals in the wider population.

How does your local area compare with others on migration? With local elections this week, we've just published a new edition of our local data guide. Explore how each local authority profiles on immigration, foreign students, asylum seekers and more. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/projects/loc...

@alexnljones.bsky.social Thought he was at Swansea? Uppa Towen!

Promotion again, ole ole #itfc

Interested in how migrants' outcomes change over time? Good news! The Hong Kong BNO Panel Survey is now available from the UK Data Service. The survey asks BNOs about their social and economic outcomes, future migration intentions, and loads more. datacatalogue.ukdataservice.ac.uk/studies/stud...

ONS significantly downgrades UK population growth forecast on the back of falling net migration - with net migration central estimate reduced from 340k per year to 230k (means population of the UK would hit 71m by 2034, rather than 72.2m, as projected in 2022)

The UK's immigration system is pretty expensive, especially if migrants come with their partners or children.

How much do migrants on Skilled Worker visas get paid? New FOI data show big differences by skill level and whether the job was in healthcare or other industries. For context, median earnings for full-time employees were £39,000 over the same period.

New paper! The UK plans to restrict visa access for ‘mid-skill’ occupations- except for those on the Temporary Shortage List of exemptions. We ask: What effects would loss of visa access have for labour supply? Which occupations should be on that list?

New HMRC data show that the number of employee jobs held by non-EU nationals rose by 6% over 2025, while EU jobs fell by 3%. This will be driven primarily by net migration, but it could also reflect improved employment rates for earlier non-EU arrivals, such as Ukrainians.

Finally we can say what we REALLY think about the Artemis astronauts.

From a net migration perspective, the length of the scheme is almost as important as any cap or 'emergency brake'. A shorter duration reduces the ability for EU citizens to switch onto other visas, rather than emigrating when the YM visa expires

Missed opportunity – could've wrapped that up in the first half. Equally I'm not sure how we clung on at the end Thank goodness Middlesbrough didn't beat Blackburn. #itfc

Great first half from #itfc. Let's get the second, for the sake of my blood pressure

On Monday, the government said it hadn't decided whether to apply the minimum English language requirement to acquire settlement to Hong Kong BNOs (and some other groups).

“I’ve reviewed over 50 sticky toffee puddings” is an incredibly powerful way to begin a video

The government has announced that migrants will have to pass an English language test at the B2 level to obtain settlement, up from the current B1 level. This change will come into force in March 2027.

Will a referee ever make a correct decision in an #itfc ever again? We don't get a stonewall penalty on Saturday, but Stoke get a penalty tonight because we tapped their attacker's arm Terrible officiating

These figures illustrate a point @jtmigratory.bsky.social made recently: millions of EU citizens have been granted settlement "without the slightest murmur of political or public disapproval", whereas settlement for the mostly non-EU citizens who've arrived post-Brexit is a major issue.

How many UK migrants get settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain? We answer that question, and more, in our updated settlement briefing.

Can the government boost domestic training by restricting migration? In a new briefing, @msumption.bsky.social and I find that migrants on work visas are a small part of a much wider picture. Here's what you need to know, in three posts. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

Can the government boost domestic training by restricting migration? In a new briefing, @msumption.bsky.social and I find that migrants on work visas are a small part of a much wider picture. Here's what you need to know, in three posts. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...

Completely agree with this on some of vitriol being sent to the Ipswich players from their own 'fans' A few seem to have forgotten how bad things were for #itfc as recently as 2021. The club is in a much better place now, even if George Hirst misses a few sitters

65% of the increase in the UK’s population between 2004 and 2023 was due to international migration. Births—another driver of population growth—have declined over the same period.

Five years on: Hong Kong migrants to the UK under the HK BN(O) visa scheme. Findings from our @ukri.org funded survey,led by Tak Wing Chan (UCL), with me, @msumption.bsky.social @benbrindle.bsky.social Wed, 2pm, at UCL Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/hong-kong-...

@mark-heath.bsky.social Will you be skiing at the 2030 Olympics?

Around 185,000 Hong Kongers have come to the UK since 2021, after the BNO visa was created. Join us on the 11th of February to find out how Hong Kongers are adapting to life in the UK. Register here 👇 www.eventbrite.com/e/hong-kong-...

Good to see some very good articles pointing out that AI won't only take jobs, but will change and create jobs, too. We see that in academic papers - including by the excellent Daron Acemoglu, mentioned in this piece. www.ft.com/content/d8e0...

"For BN(O)s the help which has been most needed is in securing work which matches skills." ✍️ @heather-rolfe.bsky.social looks at the lessons that can be learned from the Hong Kong BN(O) visa scheme 🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/lessons-from...

Not sure what to make of it all? Our briefing on net migration is a great place to start getting to grips with the big changes in migration to and from the UK in recent years. migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...

Special dispensation for foreign prison officers who, it was widely reported last year, faced being unable to renew their work visas www.poauk.org.uk/news-events/...

It's that time when I tell anybody who will listen my favourite things from 2025. First up, my favourite albums... Geese - Getting Killed Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On Viagra Boys - viagr aboys Heartworms - Glutton for Punishment Smerz - Big city life LCD Soundsystem was my live music highlight

The Migration Advisory Committee has recommended that the government reduce occupation-specific thresholds for Skilled Workers. Here's why, in 3 posts...