Immigration policy of the United Kingdom

Immigration policies of the United Kingdom are the areas of modern British policy concerned with the immigration system of the United Kingdom—primarily, who has the right to visit or stay in the UK. British immigration policy is under the purview of UK Visas and Immigration.

With its withdrawal from the European Union, the UK implemented a broad reform to its immigration system, putting an end to free movement with the EU and introducing a points-based immigration system on 1 January 2021.

In 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to reduce net migration to the UK (the number of people immigrating minus the number emigrating) below 250,000 per year. However, immigration to the UK dramatically surged following the introduction of the post-Brexit points-based immigration system on 1 January 2021. Long-term net migration is estimated to have reached a record high of 944,000 in the year ending (YE) March 2023, with immigration at 1,469,000 and emigration at 525,000.

The Office for National Statistics' provisional estimate, released in November 2025 on migration in the year ending (YE) June 2025, stated that long-term net migration in the year ending (YE) June 2025 was 204,000: non-EU+ nationals at 383,000 net migration, British nationals at -109,000, and EU+ nationals at -70,000.

For the year ending (YE) June 2025, total immigration was 898,000: non-EU+ nationals accounted for 75% of total immigration (670,000), British nationals comprised 16% (143,000), and EU+ nationals constituted 9% (85,000).

For the year ending (YE) June 2025, total emigration was 693,000: non-EU+ nationals accounted for 41% of total emigration (286,000), British nationals composed 36% (252,000), and EU+ nationals accounted for 22% (155,000).

For the year ending (YE) June 2025, the top three nationalities from non-EU+ countries immigrating on work-related visas were Indian, Pakistani, and Nigerian.