Tougher policies drive UK net migration drop by two-thirds

This month the government announced sweeping reforms, including making refugee status temporary, speeding up deportation of those arriving illegally, and doubling the qualifying period for some foreign workers to obtain settled status to 10 years.

A policy scrapping the care worker route, the single biggest driver of work migration in recent years, took effect in July and is expected to further reduce numbers in the coming years.

(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Andrew MacAskill)