UK net migration nearly halves in 2025 amid tighter visa rules

Long-term net migration to the United Kingdom nearly halved in 2025, falling to levels last seen before the country introduced its post-Brexit immigration system, according to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS said net migration declined to 171,000 in the 12 months ending December 2025, compared with 331,000 recorded a year earlier.

The figures mark a steep decline from the record peak of 944,000 registered in 2023.

Immigration has remained a politically sensitive issue in Britain for more than a decade, with successive governments introducing stricter visa rules and higher salary thresholds for foreign workers.

The current Labour Party government has also announced additional measures aimed at reducing migration levels amid increasing political pressure over border control and immigration policy.

According to the ONS, the latest migration figures are now close to levels seen before Britain introduced its new immigration system in early 2021 following its exit from the European Union and during the period affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

Officials said the decline reflected immigration policy changes introduced from 2024 onwards by the previous Conservative Party government.

These included restrictions preventing most international students from bringing dependants to the UK and higher salary thresholds for skilled worker visas.

The Labour government later tightened the system further by ending overseas recruitment of care workers, one of the largest contributors to work-related migration in recent years, and increasing salary requirements again for skilled migrants.

The government has also proposed broader reforms including faster deportation procedures for illegal migrants, extending the qualifying period for certain migrants seeking settled status from 5 to 10 years and making refugee status temporary in some cases.