UK granted more residence permits for non-EU immigrants than any other country in Europe
BRITAIN handed out more residence permits than any other country in the European Union last year – almost one every minute.
UK handed out more residence permits than any other country in the European Union last year
Despite mounting concerns over mass immigration, figures published today by Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistical wing, show that the UK allowed more than 633,000 non-EU citizens to live here in 2015.
It means that nearly a quarter of the record 2.6 million permits issued in the EU were given out in Britain.
As the UK does not have a residence permit system, Eurostat uses UK visas as an equivalent – including work, study and family visas, but excluding visitors’ visas.
The UK gave 633,017 such visas to non-EU nationals, while second-placed Poland issued 541,583.
These figures are simply mind-blowing
France issued 226,630 permits and Germany 194,813.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: “These figures are simply mind-blowing.
‘These figures are simply mind-blowing’, says Nigel Farage
The Home Office said figures cannot be compared as the ‘UK doesn’t issue residence permits’
"Theresa May presided over this state of affairs, and she must answer to the British people for it.”
The Home Office said last night: “The UK does not issue residence permits, so these figures cannot be accurately compared, as acknowledged by Eurostat.”