The U.K. has seen a record level of immigration, with net migration reaching 606,000 in 2022. This has created a dilemma for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is under pressure to reduce the number of arrivals while also trying to revive the sluggish economy. The figures were swelled by the influx of people from Ukraine and Hong Kong, suggesting that a significant portion of the uplift is temporary. The government has responded by introducing measures to prevent thousands of international students from bringing family members with them into the country. The public is less concerned about legal migration since the Brexit vote, but the government is focusing on tackling illegal immigration and stopping the flow of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel. The new figures show the challenge facing the government in balancing the need to reduce immigration with the need to revive the economy.
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