London: Most immigrants prefer settling down permanently in Britain rather than any other European country, a study has revealed.
An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study showed that 397,900 foreigners decided to live in the UK in 2009, second in the world only to the US.
The figure marked a rise of 14 percent from the previous year. It was the largest increase in the developed world, at a time when most countries have seen a dramatic fall in the number of permanent settlers, the Daily Mail reports.
The study said the increase was largely down to family members coming to stay with those already in Britain, and the large number of foreign students living in the country.
The OECD report found Britain is to be one of the few countries where migrant workers are less likely to end up unemployed than locals.
The report showed that the number of permanent migrants in Britain is exceeded only by the US where 1.1million people settled permanently, up two percent on the previous year.
According to the report, France had only 178,700 new settlers, down seven percent, and Germany 197,500, down 13 per cent.
In Ireland, the total fell by 42 percent to 38,900, the report revealed.
ANI
First Published: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 16:02