Indian nationals were the biggest group of foreigners leaving the United Kingdom last year. That’s what the fresh migration data showed, released in London on Thursday.
The overall net migration figures took a serious hit. It nearly halved compared to the year before.
The Office for National Statistics put the numbers out. Around 51,000 Indians who had come to the UK for studies left the country in 2025. Then there were another 21,000 Indians who had arrived for work, plus nearly 3,000 others who just exited Britain during that time.
Chinese nationals were next up, forming the second largest group leaving. We’re talking about about 46,000 students and workers departing from the UK. Ukrainians, Pakistanis, and Nigerians also made the list of those leaving.
The latest estimates showed the UK’s net migration settled at 171,000 last year. That’s a massive drop from the peak of 944,000 recorded under the previous Conservative government.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood spoke out about this. She said the government was trying to restore control over immigration.
“Net migration is now 171,000,” she noted. “That’s down from that high of 944,000 under the Conservatives. This government is restoring order and control to our borders.”
She went on, talking about the balance. “We will always welcome those who want to contribute and build a life here. But we have to restore order. As these statistics show, real progress has been made, but there is still work to do.”
And that led to the big shift. She brought up the skills-based migration system. It’s meant to reward contribution and end Britain’s reliance on cheap overseas workers.
But it’s complicated. Despite topping the emigration figures, Indians kept getting the most visa extensions across the board.
Among Health and Care Worker visa extensions issued in the year ending March 2026, Indians led the pack with 107,306 approvals. Nigerians followed with 89,575. Zimbabwean nationals got 31,117 extensions.
Indians also dominated the Skilled Worker visa extensions, too. They managed 89,851 approvals. Pakistanis and Nigerians trailed in that specific category.
In the student category, Indians led the Graduate Route visa extensions with 70,371 approvals. They remained the largest group getting Sponsored Study visas to the UK, too. That’s 90,425 grants, which is about twenty-three percent of the total visas issued in that category.
The ONS pointed out the reason for the drop. The fall in migration was mainly driven by fewer arrivals from outside the European Union, especially from India.
The number of non-EU nationals arriving for work reasons fell by a staggering 47 per cent last year.
ONS Deputy Director Sarah Crofts said that migration levels have now bounced back to figures seen during the Covid period.
“Net migration continues to fall,” she said. “It’s at levels last seen in early 2021 when the new immigration system came in and travel restrictions were still in place.”
She added a bit of an uneasy note. “The recent decrease is driven by fewer people arriving from outside the EU, particularly for work. Emigration had been increasing, but there are early signs it might be starting to fall now. Though it’s too soon to say if that will keep going.”
The estimate for total long-term immigration into the UK last year was 813,000. That’s a twenty percent decline from 2024.
Immigration remains a huge political headache in Britain. Especially now, after the gains Reform UK managed to make in recent elections.
The Labour government, currently in charge, points the finger at the earlier Conservative administration for that sharp rise in immigration over the years.
The tougher stance they’ve taken has also meant warnings. They’ve threatened visa restrictions and penalties for countries that refuse to cooperate in sending back illegal migrants. It’s all moving, isn’t it?
Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board
Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.
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