Data reported by the official UK's official statistics body suggests that 594,000 foreign workers have left the country in the past year.
It is a staggering figure, and it is reasonable to approach it with a degree of scepticism. Reliable data is difficult to gather amid a pandemic. But if the UK is serious about creating a post-Brexit “Global Britain”, these numbers indicate a trend that should trigger concern in Whitehall.
This has, of course, been a uniquely tough year for the whole world. But the UK’s especially chaotic handling of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and its economic impacts, has dissuaded many non-Brits from pursuing work or other prospects in the UK.
One hugely profitable sector that has ground to a halt is hospitality, given its close links to the tourism industry. In 2019, there were 40.9 million visits to the UK, bringing $37.5 billion in revenue. A lack of tourists means potentially permanent damage to restaurants, hotels and countless cultural institutions.
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A particularly lucrative part of Britain’s economy is the university sector, in which international students are a fundamental driver. They have become, in many ways, key to British universities’ survival. Since the onset of the pandemic, however, resentment among all students, particularly foreign ones who pay much higher fees than their local counterparts, is growing unchecked.
Over the past decade, since the election of the Conservative party under David Cameron, opportunities for overseas students to live and work in the UK after their studies have been steadily curtailed. The alienation of these students, even after they were labelled a priority in the government’s “Britain is Great” campaign, marks a serious departure from the Brexit brief of creating a global Britain. Fears over their fate have become so severe that in 2016 India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, made a prospective UK-India trade deal conditional upon easier access to the UK for Indian students. But with levels of unhappiness reportedly rising among Indian students already in the UK due to a lack of support, will future students from the country even want to come?
A story in The National about a spike in UAE students heading for US universities after the election of Joe Biden demonstrates that the global student body has other options. Many having begun to factor political stability to their calculations; they have never been the most financially secure demographic. And while Britain is still home to the English-speaking world's oldest universities, it may no longer be the safest of harbours.
The numbers indicate a trend that should trigger concern in Whitehall
Many Britons seem to agree with that assessment, too. A study published in August found that migration from the UK to the EU had increased by 30 per cent since the Brexit referendum. The study also established that migrants from the UK were some of the best educated and highest-earning of any group.
A drain of talent, in universities or in the work force, threatens to erase the image of Britain as a global hub. That image was built over the course of the 20th century, in large part as a result of Conservative policies. If Mr Johnson loses the confidence of his most well-educated compatriots, many in his party will not forgive him.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
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Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
