The UK electorate voted to leave the European Union in a referendum on 23 June 2016. The legal process for exiting the EU began when the UK notified of its intention to withdraw under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on 29 March 2017. The UK and the EU then have up to two years, or longer if agreed, to decide on the terms of the withdrawal, particularly the extent of the UK’s access to the single market versus the degree to which EU workers retain freedom of movement to the UK. Our Brexit pages provide news and guidance on all aspects of Britain’s exit from the EU.
Non-EU immigration has increased again but is driven by people - predominantly from Asia - coming to study.