2004 and September 2009, 1.

5 million workers migrated from the new EU

member states to the UK, two-thirds of them Polish, but that many
subsequently returned home, resulting in a net increase in the number of
nationals of the new member states in the UK of some 700,000 over that
period.[413][414] The late-2000s recession in the UK reduced the economic
incentive for Poles to migrate to the UK,[415] the migration becoming
temporary and circular.[416] In 2009, for the first time since
enlargement, more nationals of the eight central and eastern European
states that had joined the EU in 2004 left the UK than arrived.[417] In
2011, citizens of the new EU member states made up 13% of the immigrants
entering the country.[418]
Estimated number of British citizens living overseas by country, 2006
The UK government has introduced a points-based immigration system for
immigration from outside the European Economic Area to replace former
schemes, including the Scottish Government's Fresh Talent
Initiative.[419] In June 2010 the UK government introduced a temporary
limit of 24,000 on immigration from outside the EU, aiming to discourage
applications before a permanent cap was imposed in April 2011.[420] The
cap has caused tension within the coalition: business secretary Vince
Cable has argued that it is harming British businesses.[421]
Emigration was an important feature of British society in the 19th
century. Between 1815 and 1930 around 11.4 million people emigrated from
Britain and 7.3 million from Ireland. Estimates show that by the end of
the 20th century some 300 million people of British and Irish descent
were permanently settled around the globe.[422] Today, at least 5.5
million UK-born people live abroad,[423][424][425] mainly in Australia,
Spain, the United States and Canada.[423][426]
Education
Main article: Education in the United Kingdom
See also: Education in England, Education in Northern Ireland, Education
in Scotland and Education in Wales
King's College, part of the University of Cambridge, which was founded in
1209
Education in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, with each country
having a separate education system. About 38 percent of United Kingdom
population has a university or college degree, which is the highest
percentages in the Europe, and among the highest percentages in
World.[427][428]
Whilst education in England is the responsibility of the Secretary of
State for Education, the day-to-day administration and funding of state
schools is the responsibility of local authorities.[429] Universally free
of charge state education was introduced piecemeal between 1870 and
1944.[430][431] Education is now mandatory from ages five to sixteen (15
if born in late July or August). In 2011, the Trends in International
Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) rated 1314-year-old pupils in
England and Wales 10th in the world for maths and 9th for science.[432]
The majority of children are educated in state-sector schools, a small
proportion of which select on the grounds of academic ability. Two of the
top ten performing schools in terms of GCSE results in 2006 were staterun grammar schools. Over half of students at the leading universities of
Cambridge and Oxford had attended state schools.[433] Despite a fall in
actual numbers the proportion of children in England attending private
schools has risen to over 7%.[434] In 2010, more than 45% of places at
the University of Oxford and 40% at the University of Cambridge were