Spouse migration from the Indian sub-continent to the UK: a permanent migration stream

Immigration to the UK of the existing spouses and dependent children of the original labour migrants is diminishing. But it is being overtaken, as elsewhere in Europe, by immigration of new spouses, of both sexes, who are marrying partners from the young and growing ethnic minority populations. Most of these marriages are 'arranged', some are believed to be contrived with immigration as their main purpose. Migration chains established between industrial countries and poorer third world societies with extended family systems are very hard to end. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s