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The total marks the lowest level since 2012 outside the Covid pandemic period, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there was still “more to do” to reduce numbers further.
The data also showed that 93,525 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year to March 2026, down 12% from the previous year but still more than double pre-pandemic levels.
Work Migration Continues to Decline
The Office for National Statistics said net migration had fallen to levels last seen in early 2021, when Britain introduced its post-Brexit immigration system and Covid travel restrictions were in place.
Sarah Crofts, deputy director at the ONS, said the decline was largely driven by fewer arrivals from outside the European Union, particularly for work-related visas.
Policy changes introduced in 2024 under the previous Conservative government are believed to have played a major role in the decline. The current Labour government has kept those measures and expanded some of them.
Restrictions included preventing most overseas students from bringing family members to the UK and limiting care workers from bringing dependants.
The salary threshold for skilled worker visas was also raised from £26,200 to £38,700, while the income requirement for sponsoring family visas increased by more than £10,000.
After Brexit, immigration rose sharply as Conservative ministers relaxed some visa rules for health and social care workers to address labour shortages. Critics referred to the increase as the “Boriswave”.
The government has since announced further measures, including requiring migrants to speak English to A-level standard and increasing the skilled worker salary threshold again to £41,700.
Asylum Numbers Remain High
Home Office figures showed asylum applications fell by 12% in the year to March 2026, although levels remain significantly above those seen before the pandemic.
There were 43,806 detected arrivals through illegal routes during the same period, with small boat crossings accounting for 90% of cases.
The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels while awaiting decisions fell to 20,885 by March 2026. That compares with 30,657 in December 2025 and a peak of 56,000 recorded in September 2023.
Asylum hotels became a major political issue last year, triggering protests in places including Norwich, Epping and Mold.
In October, Starmer pledged to close all asylum hotels, saying he had inherited a “mess” from the Conservatives.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the latest figures showed “real progress” had been made in restoring control over Britain’s borders.
Political Parties Clash Over Migration
The ONS said just over 800,000 people immigrated to the UK in 2025, down 20% compared with the previous year.
Meanwhile, an estimated 642,000 people left the UK for long-term residence abroad in the year to December 2025.
Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory said the economic impact of migration depended on who was arriving and leaving. He noted that migration among groups with broadly positive economic impacts had declined, while asylum-related migration remained comparatively high.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp argued that immigration levels were still too high and called for stricter controls, including a binding annual cap on migration.
Meanwhile, Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick described the departure of British nationals from the UK as “the Starmer Exodus”, although the ONS said emigration among British citizens had remained broadly stable in recent years.
The Liberal Democrats blamed Brexit for the number of Britons leaving the country and urged the government to strengthen cooperation with European allies.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 22 May 2026
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