London's Rising Immigrant Retention: A Testament to Our Welcoming Community

There has been a large focus on the significant population growth in London and how much of this growth can be attributed to immigration. Now, approximately 20% of our local population is made up of immigrants.

Discussed less, but equally important to understanding our demography, is the fact that London’s retention rate has also risen. This means that an increased number of immigrants (78%) who choose London as a place of destination continue to reside in London five years later.

The retention of immigrants is equally as important as attracting them. It requires not only marketing ourselves as a city that is welcoming to immigrants, but truly carrying this out in practice. Immigrants provide many benefits for all of us. They are a driving force for our economy and they make our city increasingly multicultural and diverse which has social benefits. In order to enjoy these benefits we need immigrants to stay.

The fact that more immigrants are choosing to stay in London demonstrates the importance and success of settlement supports and efforts to create welcoming communities. It is the unfortunate reality that London has received some negative attention when it comes to instances of racism, hate and discrimination. It is therefore hopeful to see that even despite this, the rate of immigrants choosing to stay in London is still rising. This suggests that kindness is speaking louder and a majority of immigrants are feeling welcomed, safe, and supported in our community.

We must all continue to work to ensure that London is not just a stop for new immigrants, but is somewhere they continue deciding to call home.