The charts illustrate the principal reasons for people immigrating to and emigrating from the UK in 2007.
Overall, employment-related factors were the dominant reason in both directions. However, while definite job offers accounted for the largest share of immigration, formal study was also a significant reason for people coming to the UK. In contrast, emigration was more strongly driven by definite job offers and looking for work, with study playing a relatively minor role.
In detail, 30% of immigrants moved to the UK due to a definite job offer, making it the most common reason for immigration. A further 26% arrived to look for work. Formal study represented 26% as well, indicating that education was a major pull factor. Accompanying or joining family members accounted for 15%, while only 4% cited other reasons.
Regarding emigration, 29% of people left the UK because of a definite job offer, and 22% departed to seek employment abroad. Joining family members was responsible for 13% of departures, slightly lower than the corresponding figure for immigration. Only 4% emigrated for formal study, a much smaller proportion compared with those entering the country for education. Notably, 32% of emigrants left for other reasons, a substantially higher figure than the 4% recorded for immigration.
In summary, work was the primary motivation for both immigration to and emigration from the UK in 2007, while study was a key factor mainly for immigration.