80% leave UK amid tightening immigration rules, Indian students form biggest group: Govt data

Chinese nationals recorded the second-highest exits at around 42,000. The ONS, in its release, noted that Indian citizens formed the single largest non-EU group leaving the UK, even as they continued to remain the top nationality arriving for both study and work. Despite the outflow, Indians still received 90,000 study visa grants and 46,000 work visas in the same period, underscoring their continued significance in UK immigration trends.

Departures and arrivals in the UK according to ONS data (Source: ONS Data quoted by PTI)

Why so many are leaving

The ONS attributes this high level of emigration primarily to international students who originally entered the UK on study visas. The data states that 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 the year ending June 2025.

The fall in net migration coincides with a series of tightening measures introduced by the UK government, particularly affecting international students and entry-level workers. Business groups in London, however, have expressed concern that these sharper controls are coming at a cost. A recent report by The Indian Express shows that 93 per cent of London businesses say international talent helps address skills shortages, and 84 per cent believe international students should have a pathway into post-study work. These concerns reflect a widening gap between the UK government’s migration policy and the demands of sectors dependent on foreign-trained workers.

Responding to the ONS figures, Mary Gregory, Executive Director for Population and Census at the ONS, said the UK is now witnessing the ‘lowest level seen since 2021,” adding that the reduction is “largely due to fewer people from outside the EU arriving for work and study-related reasons.”

Policy changes adding pressure to students

The evolving policy landscape has heightened uncertainty for those planning higher studies in the UK. One major concern is the UK’s ongoing review of the Graduate Route, the post-study work visa that allows students to stay back after completing their degree. Although no final legislation has been enforced yet, the UK government has indicated that the route may become more restrictive, both in duration and eligibility, beginning in 2025–26.

According to an earlier report by The Indian Express, employers warn that scaling back post-study work opportunities would harm the UK’s talent pipeline. London businesses have argued that international graduates support key sectors, particularly tech, finance and research, and that limiting their ability to stay on and work could weaken the city’s competitiveness at a time when labour shortages remain widespread.

Even as recent UK government data signals pressure on international student mobility, University of Liverpool COO Lucy Everest says demand for study-opportunities remains steady. “The UK is more stable and we have a strong cohort of students for PG coming here, but, also increasingly undergraduate students who are turning away from America…” Everest told indianexpress.com last week during the announcement of Liverpool campus location in India. She however added that many parents now prefer options that begin in India and lead to progression into the UK later.

Political response and growing debate

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, according to the PTI report, has defended the government’s moves, arguing that migration must be better controlled to ease pressures on housing, services and local communities. She said the latest data reflects that net migration has “fallen by more than two-thirds under this government,” while also signalling deeper reforms ahead.

But these steps are drawing criticism from labour and rights groups. The Work Rights Centre cautioned that the decline in skilled worker visas — now at a three-year low — is already affecting UK industries. The group’s CEO, Dr Dora Olivia Vicol, said the government’s focus on looking “tough” on immigration is “actively working against economic growth” and compromising migrant welfare.