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The end of free movement and international migration

Author

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  • Shrestha, Samyam
  • Sant’Anna, Hugo

Abstract

This paper examines how the end of free movement following Brexit in January 2021 reshaped non-transient international migration flows involving the UK. Using a novel dataset of monthly bilateral migration flows from 2019 to 2022 constructed from Facebook user location data covering 181 countries with high spatial and temporal resolution, we estimate a gravity model framework to assess post-Brexit changes in migration patterns. We find that the end of free movement significantly reduced migration between the UK and EU countries, while migration from non-EU countries to the UK increased. Migration from the UK to non-EU countries also declined. These findings illustrate that Brexit reconfigured the geography and composition of international migration flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Shrestha, Samyam & Sant’Anna, Hugo, 2026. "The end of free movement and international migration," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:259:y:2026:i:c:s0165176525005968
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2025.112759
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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