Indians top the list as the largest group of people moving to the UK in 2023. Last year, 250,000 Indians moved to the UK, mainly for work and education. This is despite the fact that net migration to the UK has fallen by 10% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Of the 250,000 Indians who moved to the UK last year, 127,000 went to work, 115,000 to study and 9,000 for other reasons.
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Nigerians, with 141,000 immigrants, ranked next to Indians in immigration to the UK. The Chinese were third, followed by Pakistanis in the fourth spot.
Net migration to the UK decreased by 10% in 2023, reaching 685,000, down from a peak of 764,000 in 2022, as shown by ONS data.
UK Work and Graduate Visas in 2023
In 2023, the UK granted 337,240 work visas, including 146,477 health and care visas. Additionally, 114,409 graduate visas were issued, allowing students to work post-graduation. Notably, 50,503 of these were issued to Indians, who also received the highest number of study visas, according to the Home Office Immigration Statistics.
It’s too early to determine if this decline marks the beginning of a longer trend.
Around 85% of migrants to the UK were from outside the European Union. The top five countries also included people from China, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. Analysis shows that immigrants from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan often brought dependents, with about 50% of these dependents being around 17 years old.
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Decline in Indian Students at UK Universities
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic saw an increase in non-EU immigration. People also migrated to the UK for humanitarian reasons in 2023, with migrants from Ukraine and Hong Kong totaling 50,000.
However, there was a notable drop in Indian students enrolling in UK universities. Recent data shows that approximately 21,800 fewer Indian students went to the UK this year. The British Universities’ International Liaison Association reviewed data from 75 universities and found that 90% experienced a decline in applications from international students. Overall, there was a 27% decrease in international applications for postgraduate courses in 2023 compared to 2022.
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