Nigeria ranked fourth among non-EU+ nationalities sending migrants to the United Kingdom in the year ending June 2025, according to new figures from the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics, showing major shifts in global migration patterns.
Okay News reports that a total of 40,000 Nigerians migrated to the UK during the period, including 25,000 for study, 12,000 for work and 3,000 through other routes, placing the country behind India, China and Pakistan in overall non-EU+ migration numbers.
India remained the largest contributor of non-EU+ migrants with 143,000 arrivals. China followed with 66,000, while Pakistan ranked third with 63,000, reflecting Asia’s continued dominance in UK inflows.
Study migration saw one of the sharpest drops. Only 288,000 non-EU+ nationals arrived in the UK to study in the year to June 2025 — a 25% decline from the previous year and far below the 2023 peak of 486,000. Study dependents fell dramatically from 87,000 to 13,000 following UK rules restricting dependents for most international students.
Work migration also declined significantly. Just 171,000 non-EU+ nationals entered for employment, a 61% fall compared to the previous year. Main work applicants totaled 86,000, while dependents fell to 85,000, influenced by higher salary thresholds and tougher family-entry requirements.
Asylum-related migration rose, with 96,000 people seeking asylum — up from 81,000 the previous year — consistent with UK Home Office data. As of September 2025, 36,273 asylum seekers were still accommodated in hotels despite government pledges to phase them out.
The trend data comes as the UK intensifies immigration reforms. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood recently announced measures including extending the Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying period from five to ten years, restricting settlement for benefit claimants, reviewing refugee status periodically instead of granting permanent protection, and introducing capped “safe and legal” routes.
A public consultation is ongoing, and the Home Office plans to implement the reforms in spring 2026.
