London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Why do migrants leave France and try to cross the English Channel?

Why do migrants leave France and try to cross the English Channel?

Efforts are under way to identify 27 people who drowned crossing the English Channel.

Their deaths have raised questions about why so many people are attempting the journey despite the dangerous conditions.

Why do migrants cross the Channel in boats?


For years, people smugglers have sent people to the UK in lorries. There have also been tragedies on these routes, including the 39 Vietnamese people found dead in a refrigerated lorry in 2019.

But security at the Port of Calais in France - where UK border controls are - has been tightened.

This means more attempts are being made to send people by boat, according to Tony Smith, former director general of UK Border Force.

He says Covid had also had a role, as fewer lorries have been travelling to the UK: "Human smugglers have changed their tactics and they've now taken to this relatively new phenomenon of putting people into small boats and bringing them across in that way."

Why do migrants leave France for the UK?


In the few studies that exist, family ties have been identified as the main reason migrants wish to travel from France to the UK.

In a survey of 402 people at the former Calais "Jungle" camp, researchers from the International Health journal found only 12% wanted to remain in France, while 82% planned to go to England.

Of those that wanted to travel to England more than half (52%), said they already had a family member there.

"They have a connection to the UK, they speak some English, they have family, they have friends and people in their networks. They want to come and stay and rebuild their lives," says Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council.


Do migrants travel for jobs and money?


While there aren't reliable surveys to support it, it's been suggested Britain's jobs market often attracts migrants - a claim supported by the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

However, Marley Morris, an immigration expert at the IPPR think tank, disagrees. He says the UK has introduced policies that make it much harder to work illegally.

"These arguments were put forward 20 years ago, when people said the UK system was too generous. The UK responded by tightening up the rules.

"While we don't have ID cards, the policies introduced make it much harder to work illegally, [and] employers are fined for employing someone for not having the right to work."

As well as language and family ties, some Calais-based migrants told the BBC they wanted to come to the UK due to historic links with their own country.

Some also expressed unhappiness at the way they are being treated in France, which can lead to more people attempting to make the crossing according to Rob McNeil, deputy director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University.

"Imagine you are being poorly treated in the country you are in. Your presumption is that the immediate environment is unpleasant and you want to get away from that", he says.

Border Force officers escort a group of men on to a waiting bus


It's unlikely that migrants choose to come to the UK because they feel they less chance of being sent back compared to other European countries adds Mr McNeil.

"One thing we know is that the data suggests that people travelling to any country have very little knowledge of the laws and practices of enforcing immigration," he says.

Despite the dangers, some say they have already taken significant risks to get as far as Calais and are willing to take further ones to get to the UK. For example, the International Health journal study also found that two-thirds of people had experienced at least one act of violence during their journey or in Calais.

How many migrants travel to the UK?

Many migrants already choose to make an asylum claim in the first country they arrive in - such as Greece, Turkey or Italy - and only a minority choose to travel on to the UK.

Last year, Germany had the highest number of asylum applicants the EU (122,015 applicants), while France had 93,475 applicants.

In the same period the UK received the 5th largest number of applicants (36,041) when compared with countries in the EU (around 7% of the total). This represents the 17th largest intake when measured per head of population, according to UN Refugee Agency.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×