UK Net Migration Crashes to 171,000 — The Lowest in Four Years
The lowest in four years — and the government says it is just getting started.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published the latest Long-Term International Migration (LTIM) estimates, reporting net migration to the UK of 171,000 in the year to December 2025 — a fall of more than 60 per cent from the peak recorded in the year to June 2023 and the lowest annual figure since 2021.
The headline reduction has been driven primarily by a sharp drop in non-EU work-related migration, reflecting the cumulative effect of the five-point increase in the Skilled Worker salary threshold, the closure of the Health and Care Worker dependant route for most carers, and a reduction in the number of Certificates of Sponsorship made available to the care sector.
Student numbers have also continued to ease, though the graduate route remains a significant contributor to inflows. ONS analysts have cautioned that some of the fall is cyclical and may reverse as the global labour market recovers, but acknowledged that policy changes have had a 'material and sustained' effect.
For employers, the data reinforces the need to plan sponsor licence activity carefully and to ensure that any roles being advertised genuinely meet the minimum salary and skill thresholds at the time of application, not just at the time of job design.
Looking ahead, the government has signalled that further reductions are a priority for the remainder of the parliament, with options reportedly including a further rise in the salary threshold and additional restrictions on switching routes within the UK.