Indian students, workers top UK’s exit tally in downward migration trend

Indian students and workers on Thursday topped the tally of visa-holders leaving the UK as the country’s latest net migration data revealed a significant drop of 204,000, down 80 per cent from a peak in 2023.

The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) data reveals that around 45,000 Indians on study visas and 22,000 professionals on work-related visas had left the UK as their country of residence in the year ending June 2025.

An additional 7,000 Indian nationals logged under the “other” visa category also left the country, making up a total of 74,000 Indian emigrants followed by 42,000 Chinese nationals as the second highest in the UK’s exit tally.

 “Indian was the most common non-EU (European Union) nationality to emigrate (or leave) from the UK,” the ONS states in its data release. “The increase in long-term emigration of non-EU+ nationals who originally arrived on study-related visas is primarily being driven by the large numbers of Indian and Chinese nationals leaving in YE (year ending) June 2025,” it notes.

Indians, meanwhile, continue to hold on to the top slot in terms of immigration into the UK with 90,000 logged under study visa grants and 46,000 for work purposes. “Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and Nigerian are regularly among the top five most frequent non-EU+ nationalities for long-term immigration,” the ONS added.

 Reducing net migration, or the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving, has been among the British government’s priorities due to pressures of soaring immigration figures on the economy in recent years.

“Net migration is at the lowest level seen since 2021, when pandemic lockdown restrictions were lifted and the new immigration system was introduced following the UK’s EU exit,” said Mary Gregory, Executive Director for Population and Census at the ONS. “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. “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,” she said.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has tabled a series of tighter measures in Parliament this month in an attempt to bring down immigration figures, welcomed the latest data which she said showed that net migration was at its lowest level in half a decade and has “fallen by more than two-thirds under this government”.

“But we are going further because the pace and scale of migration has placed immense pressure on local communities. Last week, I announced reforms to our migration system to ensure that those who come here must contribute and put in more than they take out,” she said.

The Work Rights Centre charity cautioned that the fall in skilled worker visas to a three-year low was impacting British industries and services, eventually hitting economic growth figures in the longer term. “This government’s preoccupation with reducing immigration is actively working against economic growth," said Dr Dora Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre.

“The government is prioritising a performative ‘tough’ stance on immigration, but in doing so, it is gambling with migrant welfare and directly undermining its own manifesto promises to build homes and boost industry,” she said. ONS data reveals that around 45,000 Indians on study visas and 22,000 professionals on work-related visas had left the UK