UK migration policies have rarely won much praise in recent times. The dramatic arrivals of migrants in small boats have generated plenty of headlines but little support for the government, with critics on both sides of the migration argument launching attacks.

Meanwhile, Brexit opponents complain how restrictions on movement to and from the EU have burdened people and businesses — and even Brexit supporters struggle to identify the benefits of the new controls.

So it comes as something of a surprise to find the OECD, the developed countries’ club, lauding the UK over immigration policy — specifically the approach to highly skilled workers. It writes in a regular migration policy review of its 38 member states, published this year, that Britain has seen “the largest improvement in the ranking” since the last report in 2019. That’s due, it says, mainly to abolishing quotas for highly skilled workers and for migrants’ success in getting jobs in the UK. That puts Britain in the top 10, a pack led by New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia.