In 2024, a notable shift occurred in UK migration patterns, with approximately 58,000 Indian nationals leaving the country. This figure represents the largest group of foreigners to emigrate from the UK during that period, according to recent migration data. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data indicates that this emigration trend is primarily driven by Indian students and workers, marking a significant development in the UK's international migration landscape.

Key Statistics and Trends

The ONS analysis for 2024 reveals that among the Indian nationals who departed from the UK:

• Around 37,000 had originally arrived for study purposes.
• Approximately 18,000 had come for work-related reasons.
• The remaining 3,000 emigrated for other, unspecified reasons.

Following Indian nationals, Chinese students and workers formed the second-largest group of emigrants, totaling approximately 45,000 individuals. Other nationalities contributing to the emigration trend included Nigerians (16,000), Pakistanis (12,000), and Americans (8,000).

This emigration contributed to a substantial decrease in the UK's overall net migration, which fell by 431,000 in the past year, nearly halving the total from the year before. The ONS data emphasizes that "Among people emigrating, Indian was the most common nationality." Furthermore, "Study-related emigration was the most common reason for the five most frequent non-EU (European Union) nationalities to emigrate in year-ending (YE) December 2024. 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."

Factors Influencing Emigration

Several factors appear to be influencing this emigration trend among Indian nationals.

• End of Study Visas: A significant proportion of those leaving are students who came to the UK after the pandemic-related travel restrictions were lifted and have now completed their courses.
• Tightening Visa and Immigration Policies: The UK's increasingly strict visa and immigration policies are likely playing a crucial role. These policy changes, implemented in early 2024, include restrictions on overseas students bringing family members, limitations on care workers bringing dependents, and increased salary thresholds for skilled workers. These changes have made it more difficult for foreign nationals to come to, and remain in, the UK.
• Decline in Work-Related Immigration: The number of main applicants on work visas has fallen by 49 percent from the previous year, with a decrease of 108,000. Additionally, there has been a sharp decline in the number of student dependents (down by 86 percent) and work dependents (down by 35 percent).

Broader Migration Trends in the UK

The emigration of Indian nationals is part of a broader shift in the UK's migration patterns. Provisional figures from the ONS indicate that long-term net migration for the year ending December 2024 stood at 431,000, a significant decrease from 860,000 the previous year. This drop is primarily attributed to fewer people arriving on work and study-related visas from non-EU countries, coupled with an increase in the number of people leaving the UK, particularly those who initially entered on student visas.

Overall immigration to the UK has fallen to 948,000, marking the first time this figure has dropped below one million since March 2022. Meanwhile, long-term emigration has risen by approximately 11 percent to 517,000, reaching its highest level since mid-2017.