Migration: How many people come to work and study in the UK and what are the rules?

Sir Keir Starmer says migration numbers will fall “significantly” under tighter rules proposed by Labour.

The proposed changes include English tests for all visa applicants and their adult dependants, as well as a longer route to settled status

How have numbers changed and what are the existing rules?

The ONS figures show that of the 1.2 million people who came to live in the UK in the 12 months to June 2024:

• 5% (58,000) were British nationals
• 10% (116,000) were EU nationals or from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (EU+)
• About 86% (one million) were non-EU+ nationals

Of the one million non-EU+ nationals who came:

• 82% (845,000) were of working age (16 to 64 years)
• 17% (179,000) were children (under 16 years)
• 8% (84,000) claimed asylum, either after arriving via a regular route or arriving irregularly, for example, via small boats across the English Channel

Among non-EU+ migrants, the most common nationality coming to the UK for both work-related (116,000) and study-related (127,000) reasons was Indian.

Most people wanting to work in the UK still have to apply for a visa through the points-based system (PBS).

But since 11 April 2024, they have needed a job offer with a higher salary.

Applicants have to earn at least £38,700 – an increase of nearly 50% from the previous £26,200 minimum.

The threshold does not apply to some jobs – such as in health and social care, and teachers on national pay scales.

The Home Office statistics showed that 27,000 visas were issued to people coming to the UK to work in health and social care in the 12 months to December 2024.

This is a fall of 81% compared with the previous 12 months. The number coming to work in the sector had increased significantly after temporary changes to the health and care visa rules.

In the year ending December 2024, there were approximately three dependants for each person coming to do a job in health and social care.

However, the number of dependants fell sharply in the last 10 months of the period, after the previous Conservative government changed the rules to stop international social care workers bringing their children or partners with them.

The immigration salary list replaced what was previously called the shortage occupation list.

It helps employers fill vacancies in key sectors.

These jobs have a lower salary threshold making it easier for applicants to gain enough points to get a visa.

The list includes:

Employers used to be able to pay foreign workers 80% of the usual “going rate” to fill these positions.

But this lower rate was abolished for people applying after 4 April 2024.

Temporary workers such as fruit pickers and poultry workers are covered by seasonal worker visas, subject to an annual quota.

There were 35,561 seasonal worker visas issued in the year to December 2024.

More than three-quarters of these (78%) were from Central Asian countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

For 2025, the quota is 45,000:

• 43,000 horticulture workers
• 2,000 poultry workers

Seasonal workers can stay in the UK for up to six months for horticultural work, and from 2 October to 31 December each year for poultry work.

They cannot accept a permanent job or bring family members with them.

Before Brexit, EU and UK citizens had the freedom to live, work or study in any EU country without needing a visa.

However, this freedom of movement ended on 1 January 2021 when the UK left the EU.

In the 12 months to June 2024, the ONS figures showed that net migration for non-EU nationals – the difference between those arriving and those leaving – was 845,000.

In the same period, net EU migration was -95,000, meaning 95,000 more EU nationals left the UK than arrived.

Net migration of British nationals was -21,000, meaning more British people left the UK than came back.