In 2023, 83,000 Pakistanis moved to the UK, according to a new report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). This data highlights a significant trend in immigration patterns. Pakistanis were among the largest immigrant groups, following Indians, Nigerians, and Chinese.
Indians made up the largest group with over 250,000 arrivals. Out of these, 127,000 came for work, 115,000 for studies, and 9,000 for other reasons. Nigerians were the second-largest group, with 141,000 people, followed by Chinese with 90,000.
Overall Migrate Rate Decreased by 10% in 2023
Despite the high number of arrivals, the overall net migration to the UK decreased in 2023. The net migration figure dropped to 685,000, down from 764,000 in 2022. This 10% decline is significant and includes both work and study visas.
A notable shift has occurred in the composition of immigrants. In 2023, 85% of immigrants came from non-EU countries. This is a stark change from before 2021 when most long-term immigrants were from EU countries. Now, work has become the primary reason for non-EU citizens to move to the UK, rather than education.
In 2023, 423,000 non-EU citizens Migrate to the UK for work, a 53% increase from 277,000 the previous year. Additionally, more dependents are accompanying those on long-term work visas. There were 279,131 visas issued to dependents of work visa holders in 2023, an 80% increase from the previous year. Among these, 203,452 visas were for dependents of healthcare workers.
The Home Office data showed that 337,240 work visas, including 146,477 health and care visas, were granted to primary applicants in 2023. This represents a 91% increase from 76,724 work visas issued in 2022. Of these, 89,236 visas were for care workers, with Indians being the largest group of recipients, receiving 18,664 of these visas. Indians also received 11,322 nurse visas, more than half of the total.
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Furthermore, 114,409 graduate visas were granted in 2023, with 50,053 going to Indian students. Most study visas were also awarded to Indians. However, there was a decrease in Indian nationals receiving study visas, with 21,800 fewer Indian students coming for master’s programs compared to the previous year. This decline is mainly due to new rules on bringing dependents that started in January.