Figures show the total arrivals in 2023 were down by more than a third on 2022.
The provisional annual total for the year, 29,437, is 36% lower than the record 45,774 crossings for the whole of 2022.
This shows we are making progress but we have more work to do to stop the boats.
Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said the government was "clamping down on criminal gangs" and working with France to prevent further crossings.
He continued, "Stopping the boats will continue to be our priority in the new year as we target people smugglers and break their business model."
