Exit wave: Indian students, workers spearhead decline in UK net migration

Indian students and workers top the charts of foreigners leaving the UK as net migration data released in London on Thursday reflected a significant fall, nearly halved when compared to the previous year.

Net migration data released on Thursday showed that Indian students and workers top the charts of foreigners leaving United Kingdom.

This data reflects a significant fall in migration, nearly halved when compared to the previous year.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood lauded the Labour Party for bringing down net migration and claimed that the current government is restoring 'order and control'.

“Net migration is now at 1,71,000, down from a high of 9,44,000 under the Conservatives. This government is restoring order and control to our borders,” she said.

She said UK will welcome those who contribute to the country and aim to build a better life here. However, she also mentioned that the time has come for Britain to stop depending on 'cheap overseas workers'.

“We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here. But we must restore order and control to our borders. As these statistics show, real progress has been made, but there is still work to do.

“That is why I am introducing a skills-based migration system that rewards contribution and ends Britain’s reliance on cheap overseas workers,” she said.

The Labour Party government has accused the previous Tory government of overseeing a spike in immigration levels, an issue that dominates the political agenda with the anti-immigration Reform UK making considerable gains in recent elections.

It has led to a hard line on immigration by Mahmood, who has warned of visa cuts and penalties for countries that “do not play ball” over the return of illegal migrants.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis for 2025, around 51,000 Indians who came for study reasons, 21,000 for work reasons and 3,000 for other unspecified reasons led the exit trend followed by Chinese students and workers (46,000).

Ukrainians (18,000), Pakistanis and Nigerians (both 19,000 each) completed the top five emigrating nationalities, resulting in an overall net migration fall to 1,71,000 last year.

Meanwhile, the highest numbers of Health and Care Worker visa extensions in the year-ending March this year were issued to Indians (107,306), followed by Nigerian (89,575) and Zimbabwean (31,117) nationals.

Similarly, Indians led the highest number of Skilled Worker extensions at 89,851, followed by Pakistani (16,607) and Nigerian (13,409) nationals. Among students, the highest number of Graduate Route visa extensions were issued to Indians (70,371) and they also held on to the position as the most common nationality being granted Sponsored Study visas to the UK at 90,425 – marking 23 per cent of the total visa grants in the category.

The ONS analysis found that the number of nationals from outside the European Union (EU), including Indians, arriving for work-related reasons fell by 47 per cent last year, and was the main reason for the continued fall in net migration – or the difference between the total number of people moving into the UK and the number moving out.

“Net migration continues to fall and is at levels last seen in early 2021 – when the new immigration system was introduced and COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions were still in place,” said ONS deputy director Sarah Crofts.

“The recent decrease is being driven by fewer people arriving from outside the EU, particularly for work. While emigration had been increasing, there are early signs it may now be starting to fall, though it is too soon to say whether this will continue,” she said.

The estimate for total long-term immigration for last year is 8,13,000, marking a decrease of 20 per cent from 2024 and continuing a downward trend.