Pilot terminated after one year

The bilateral migrant exchange agreement between the United Kingdom and France has ended after a one-year trial. The UK Home Office confirmed on Wednesday that the pilot is no longer processing new cases, terminating the so-called "one in, one out" mechanism that allowed Britain to deport Channel boat arrivals to France in exchange for admitting vetted asylum applicants. The agreement, struck in mid-2025 under former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ease post-Brexit diplomatic friction, was scheduled to expire on 1 October 2026. While British officials expressed an interest in maintaining the arrangement, the French interior ministry confirmed it was negotiating terms to withdraw.

Exchange results and operational limits

Under the reciprocal arrangement, Britain returned approximately 1,500 irregular migrants to France and admitted roughly the same number of legal applicants. The outcome fell short of the overall target of 2,600 total transfers between the two countries. British authorities prioritised legal admission for individuals with existing family ties in the UK and nationalities considered particularly vulnerable to smuggling rings. A UK government source noted that the trial achieved some successes but failed to reach the intended operational scale. Scheduled return flights will proceed over the coming weeks as both administrations conclude the processing of open files.

Diplomatic friction and European policy

Operational difficulties within the cross-border return mechanism limited weekly transfer capacity. UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood told parliament earlier in September that managing high-volume returns into the French administrative structure created significant friction.

What has been more operationally difficult is to scale up very large numbers of removals every week into the French system.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez previously informed lawmakers in June that 951 people had been returned to France and 935 accepted by Britain under the pact. Nunez stated at the time that France sought a wider European strategy rather than managing bilateral border policing alone. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged French President Emmanuel Macron during bilateral talks in September to preserve the deal, but Paris maintained its decision to exit. Humanitarian groups, including Médecins Sans Frontières, had opposed the program since its inception, criticising the treatment of asylum seekers and opposing any renewal.

Channel crossing numbers and casualties

The conclusion of the pilot occurs alongside changing migration volumes in the English Channel, where small-boat crossings first emerged as a national issue in 2018. British government figures show 19,196 migrants arrived across the Channel between January and late September 2026, representing a decrease of more than 40% relative to the same period in 2025. Despite lower overall crossings, the maritime route remains hazardous. At least 22 migrants died attempting the crossing between January and late September 2026, including three fatalities recorded on the Monday before the agreement expired.