With 74,000 exits, Indians top UK emigration tally as net migration drops by 204,000

Indian students and workers have emerged as the largest group of visa-holders leaving the UK, as the country’s latest migration estimates show a dramatic fall in net migration, down 204,000 in the year ending June 2025, an 80 per cent drop from the 2023 peak. New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that Indians accounted for 74,000 departures, the highest among all non-EU nationalities.

According to the ONS, around 45,000 Indians on study visas and 22,000 on work visas left the UK, alongside 7,000 recorded under the “other” category, making Indians the most common non-EU nationality to emigrate. Chinese nationals followed with 42,000 exits.

“Indian was the most common non-EU nationality to emigrate (or leave) from the UK,” the ONS said. It added that the rise in long-term emigration of non-EU+ nationals who initially arrived on study visas is “primarily being driven by the large numbers of Indian and Chinese nationals leaving in YE June 2025.”

Even with the surge in departures, Indians remain the largest group entering the UK, 90,000 study visa grants and 46,000 work-related visas keep India at the top of the immigration tally. “Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Nigerian are regularly among the top five most frequent non-EU+ nationalities for long-term immigration,” the ONS noted.

Reducing net migration has become a top political priority for the British government as immigration levels have placed pressure on housing, services and local communities. ONS Executive Director for Population and Census Mary Gregory said: “Net migration is at the lowest level seen since 2021… The fall is largely due to fewer people from outside the EU arriving for work and study-related reasons, with a steep decline in the number of dependents, and a continued, gradual increase in levels of emigration. Overall, non-EU+ net migration has more than halved in the year ending June 2025.”

She added that non-EU+ emigration “is driven by Indian and Chinese nationals, who originally arrived on study visas, while nine out of 10 British people emigrating are of working age.”

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood welcomed the latest figures, saying net migration is now at its lowest in five years and has “fallen by more than two-thirds under this government.” But she said further measures were needed: “The pace and scale of migration has placed immense pressure on local communities… I announced reforms to our migration system to ensure that those who come here must contribute and put in more than they take out.”

However, labour experts warned that the drop in skilled workers could hurt the UK’s long-term economic outlook. Dr Dora Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre, cautioned: “This government’s preoccupation with reducing immigration is actively working against economic growth.” She said ministers were “gambling with migrant welfare and directly undermining” commitments to housing and industry.

(With PTI inputs)