Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The latest UK migration data shows a big drop in people coming to the United Kingdom. In the year ending June 2025, 204,000 fewer people stayed in the country compared to the peak in 2023, a fall of 80%.
Net migration is the difference between people arriving and leaving the UK. The government has long been concerned that high migration impacts housing, healthcare, and local services. Indians topped the list of people leaving. Around 45,000 left on study visas, 22,000 on work visas, and another 7,000 on other visas. In total, 74,000 Indians left, says a report in Financial Express. Chinese nationals were next, with 42,000 departures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, “Indian nationals were the most common nonEU group leaving the UK.” At the same time, Indians still top the arrivals. Around 90,000 study visas and 46,000 work visas were granted to Indians. The ONS added that Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, and Nigerian nationals are among the top five non-EU groups arriving in the UK.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that in the 12 months leading up to June, approximately 204,000 more people entered the UK than departed. This represents less than one-third of the 649,000 that were recorded the previous year. Home Office data for the year to September 2025 shows visa grants also fell to the lowest since 2022.
Mary Gregory from the ONS said net migration is now at its lowest since 2021. The drop comes as fewer people choose the UK for work or study, fewer dependants arrive, and more people leave. Most non-EU emigrants are Indian and Chinese students. Nine out of ten British emigrants are of “working age.”
Net migration is at a five-year low, according to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who applauded the decline. She added, “We are introducing reforms so that everyone who comes here contributes more than they take.” Despite the overall drop in net migration, irregular migration via small boats remains a problem.
