UK Immigration Decline: Indian Nationals Lead Emigration Wave

Recent statistics from the UK highlight a significant drop in net migration, prominently featuring Indian and Chinese nationals. The decline reflects tightened visa policies. Indian nationals, including students and workers, lead the emigration trend, with the UK's net migration falling by nearly half compared to the previous year.


Devdiscourse News Desk | London | Updated: 22-05-2025 21:38 IST | Created: 22-05-2025 21:38 IST
UK Immigration Decline: Indian Nationals Lead Emigration Wave
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Tighter UK visa and immigration rules have led to a substantial decline in net migration, as indicated by the latest data published on Thursday. Indian students and workers are among the prominent groups departing the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics' analysis for 2024.

The statistics show approximately 37,000 Indians left the UK for educational purposes, 18,000 for employment, and 3,000 for various other reasons. This exodus, joined by Chinese nationals, has caused an overall net migration decline of 431,000 over the past year, almost halving the figure from 2023.

British officials, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, have attributed the changes to stricter immigration policies and praised the decreased migration figures amidst political pressures. The data signifies the largest single-year drop in net migration since the early days of the COVID pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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