The British government has terminated its pilot agreement with France that allowed the return of Channel migrants in exchange for accepting asylum seekers from across the border, according to an announcement from the Home Office.
The scheme, which operated for just over a year, permitted the UK to send back certain small boat arrivals whilst simultaneously taking in an equivalent number of people from France who were deemed to have legitimate claims to British residency. Around 1,500 individuals were removed to France during the programme’s lifespan.
According to the BBC, Whitehall would have preferred to continue the arrangement but concluded it had not achieved sufficient scale. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the pilot is “no longer processing new cases”, though flights removing small boat migrants will continue in the coming weeks.
“We will use lessons learned from the pilot to accelerate efforts to return small boat migrants with no right to remain in the UK,” the spokesperson said, adding that the government would maintain cooperation with France to tackle Channel crossings.
The French Interior Ministry told the BBC that both countries are “discussing the terms of exit from the agreement”.
Drop in crossings but rising costs
Between 1 January and 27 September 2026, a total of 19,135 people crossed the English Channel in small boats from France – a 42% reduction compared with the same period the previous year. These crossings have become the most common method for people entering the UK illegally since 2020.
Nearly all small boat arrivals claim asylum, which under international law allows them to remain in Britain while their applications are processed. Such arrivals accounted for 40% of all asylum applications between July 2025 and June 2026.
The average boat now carries 67 people, more than double the figure from 2021. Experts warn that this overcrowding increases danger, with at least 84 deaths recorded in 2024 whilst attempting the crossing, according to United Nations data.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs earlier this month that the scheme had faced operational difficulties. “The numbers are still relatively small,” she said, noting it had been challenging “to scale up very large numbers of removals every week into the French system”.
Reports in September revealed the scheme cost approximately £56,000 per person returned to France.
Profile of arrivals
People from Eritrea made up 18% of all small boat arrivals between July 2025 and June 2026. The Home Office identified at least 2,335 people who arrived by small boat between January and December 2025 as potential victims of human trafficking or modern slavery.
Another 4,712 people entered the UK without permission through other routes – including hiding in vehicles or travelling via ferries and airports – during July 2025 to June 2026, representing a 17% decline on the previous year.
Small boat crossings represented roughly 5% of total immigration into the UK between January and December 2025. The government has pledged to “smash the gangs” orchestrating these journeys in order to reduce numbers.
What this means for Poles in the UK
The termination of the UK-France migrant exchange scheme does not directly affect Polish nationals living in Britain under settled or pre-settled status granted through the EU Settlement Scheme. Poles who secured their immigration status before or after Brexit are not subject to asylum or small boat return procedures.
However, the broader shift in immigration policy reflects the government’s determination to tighten border controls and accelerate removals of those without legal permission to stay. Polish residents should ensure their settled status documentation remains up to date, particularly if planning to travel or sponsor family members. The Home Office continues to prioritise enforcement action against irregular migration, and anyone employing workers should verify their right to work in the UK through official channels to avoid penalties.
For Poles considering family reunification or sponsoring relatives, the government’s focus on reducing overall immigration numbers may lead to stricter scrutiny of visa applications across all categories in the coming months.