Fewer Dutch people moving to the UK

In 2018, slightly over 3 thousand native Dutch people emigrated to the UK, the lowest number since 2009. Between 2012 and 2015, this number was still rising. After 2015, the number of migrant Dutch nationals dropped by 29 percent (relative to 2018). The number of Dutch returning from the UK has risen by 17 percent since 2015, a trend which had already started earlier. Last year, however, there were still more Dutch people who moved to rather than returned from the UK, just as in previous years.

On balance more British coming to the Netherlands

While fewer Dutch people are emigrating to the UK, a growing number of native British people are trading the UK for the Netherlands. In 2018, for example, 5.8 thousand British nationals settled here, i.e. a 40 percent increase relative to 2015. The number of British people returning home after having been in the Netherlands increased as well, in line with prior increases. On balance, this number stood at more than 3 thousand last year.

Also more foreigners moving from the UK to the Netherlands

In 2017 and 2018, in contrast to previous years, there were more non-native Dutch and non-native British people who moved from the UK to the Netherlands than vice versa. Already in 2016, the number of foreigners migrating from the UK to the Netherlands showed accelerated growth, by 32 percent relative to 2015. This migration flow included many Polish, Spanish, Italian and French people. The largest group of emigrants moving from the Netherlands to the UK were Somalis.

Overall, the migration balance between the Netherlands and the UK has been positive over the past three years. In 2018, net migration from the UK stood at 3.6 thousand, against a negative balance from 2010 to 2015.

EU-27’s negative net migration declining

The EU-27 as a whole has a negative migration balance with the United Kingdom although it has decreased significantly. The number of native Europeans in the EU-27 leaving their country to settle in the UK has remained high in recent years. Those returning from the UK, on the other hand, have risen substantially in number. This increase explains the reduced migration balance. The number of British nationals moving out and settling in one of the countries within the EU-27 or vice versa has remained virtually unchanged over the past several years.

Sharpest drop among Dutch emigrants under the age of 20

Of all Dutch people emigrating to the UK, the share of 0 to 14-year-olds saw the steepest decline within a period of three years (45 percent, 2015-2018). The decrease was less strong among 15 to 39-year-olds and people aged 40 and up: 22 and 15 percent respectively relative to 2015. Over half of Dutch migrants moving to the UK were in their twenties and thirties.

The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union. In a special dashboard, Statistics Netherlands is showing the main indicators for economic relationships between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands: the Brexit Monitor.