Indian students and workers accounted for the largest share of foreigners leaving the UK last year, according to new migration data released in London on Thursday, as Britain recorded a sharp fall in net migration.
According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, net migration fell to 171,000 in 2025, nearly half the level recorded a year earlier.
The ONS analysis found around 51,000 Indians who had arrived in the UK for study purposes left the country last year, along with 21,000 who had moved for work and another 3,000 classified under other reasons. Chinese nationals followed with 46,000 departures.
“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,” UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said.
“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.
“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.
Indians continue to dominate UK work and study visa categories
Despite leading emigration numbers, Indians continued to top several UK visa categories.
Among Health and Care Worker visa extensions issued in the year ending March 2026, Indians received the highest number at 107,306, followed by Nigerians at 89,575 and Zimbabweans at 31,117.
Indians also led Skilled Worker visa extensions with 89,851 approvals, ahead of Pakistanis at 16,607 and Nigerians at 13,409.
In the student category, Indians received 70,371 Graduate Route visa extensions and remained the largest nationality granted Sponsored Study visas, with 90,425 approvals, accounting for 23 per cent of the total.
The ONS said arrivals from outside the European Union, including India, for work-related reasons declined by 47 per cent last year, becoming the biggest factor behind the continued fall in net migration.
“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,” ONS deputy director Sarah Crofts said.
“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 ONS estimated total long-term immigration to the UK at 813,000 last year, down 20 per cent from 2024.
Immigration remains a major political issue in Britain, with the Labour government accusing the previous Conservative administration of allowing migration levels to rise sharply. The government has since adopted stricter immigration policies, including warnings of visa cuts and penalties for countries that do not cooperate on the return of illegal migrants.
