The United Kingdom recorded a dramatic decline in long-term net migration in the year ending December 2024, with numbers nearly halving compared to the previous year.
According to provisional data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), net migration fell to 431,000 from a peak of 860,000 in 2023.
The decline was primarily driven by a steep drop in immigration from non-EU+ nationals, particularly those entering on work and study visas. The ONS highlighted a 49% decrease in work visa arrivals among main applicants, amounting to 108,000 fewer migrants.
Immigration for study purposes also saw a significant dip, with main applicants falling by 17%, and an even sharper 86% fall in the number of dependents on study visas, a reduction of 105,000.
The total number of long-term immigrants entering the UK in 2024 was provisionally estimated at 948,000, representing a near 30% fall from 1.33 million in 2023. This marks the first time total immigration has dropped below one million since March 2022.
At the same time, long-term emigration rose by around 11%, reaching 517,000, up from 466,000 in the previous year. The ONS noted that much of this increase was driven by international students who have completed their studies and are now leaving the UK, particularly in the wake of relaxed post-pandemic travel restrictions.
“This change is driven by a decrease in immigration from non-EU+ nationals, where we are seeing reductions in people arriving on work- and study-related visas, and an increase in emigration over the 18 months to December 2024, especially people leaving who originally came on study visas,” the ONS said.
Despite the overall drop, nationals from India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, and Ukraine remained the top five contributors to long-term non-EU+ immigration to the UK in 2024.
The significant shift in migration patterns reflects tightening immigration policies and the lingering effects of the pandemic on global mobility.
