Net migration to the United Kingdom has fallen below 200,000 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven largely by a decline in the number of people arriving for work and study, according to new official figures.

Data released by the UK Office for National Statistics showed that net migration — the difference between the number of people entering and leaving the country — stood at an estimated 171,000 in the 12 months to December 2025.

The figure represents a 48 per cent decline from the 331,000 recorded in 2024.

Net migration had reached a record high of 944,000 in 2023 but has since declined sharply as fewer people moved to Britain for employment and educational opportunities.

Excluding the COVID-19 period, when international travel restrictions significantly reduced movement globally, the latest figure marks the lowest level of net migration to the UK since 2012.

ONS data showed that net migration stood at 193,000 in the year to March 2018 and 157,000 in the year to September 2012. During the pandemic, estimates dropped to around 35,000.

According to the statistics agency, the latest decline was largely driven by a reduction in arrivals from non-European Union countries for employment purposes, with such inflows falling by 47 per cent in 2025.

The drop has been linked to immigration policy changes introduced under the previous Conservative government and maintained by the Labour administration.

These measures include restrictions preventing care workers and international students from bringing family members to the UK, as well as higher salary thresholds for certain visa categories.

Authorities have also tightened rules around the skilled worker visa route, making it more difficult for migrants in some lower-skilled occupations to qualify for employment rights in the UK.

The changes form part of broader efforts by successive governments to reduce migration levels while reshaping the country’s immigration system. (Guardian)

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