UK saw 1.2 million immigrants between 2023 to 2024, 86% non-EU nationals

The United Kingdom (UK) welcomed 1.2 million immigrants between June 2023 and June 2024, out of which 86 percent were non-EU nationals, with 120,000 Nigerian nationals representing a considerable portion of these non-EU migrants.

The UK has experienced a significant shift in immigration patterns, largely influenced by recent changes in student visa regulations.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there has been a notable decline in the issuance of student visas, as tighter rules have affected international students’ ability to study and settle in the UK.

From October 2023 to September 2024, the issuance of student visas dropped by 19 percent, falling from 485,000 to 392,969. Dependent visas experienced an even sharper decline, plummeting by 69 percent to 46,961 during the same period.

These changes reflects UK’s broader policy shift aimed at stricter immigration control, which has directly impacted non-EU nationals, including those from Nigeria.

Tightening of visa regulations

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The tightening of visa regulations, introduced in January 2024, has reshaped the UK’s academic landscape.

The key changes includes restrictions on dependents, where international students are now only allowed to bring dependents if enrolled in postgraduate research programmes.

Additionally, it has become more challenging for students to switch to work visas during their studies, reducing flexibility for those seeking long-term settlement options.

These policies have affected international students’ trust in the UK’s education system, influencing admissions and enrolments.

As Nigeria played a major role, contributing 120,000 immigrants, most arrivals were for work, study, or asylum.

Specifically, 417,000 non-EU nationals entered for work, 375,000 for study, and 84,000 for asylum. However, the stringent student visa rules have impacted the education sector’s contributions.

Ngozi Ekugo

Ngozi Ekugo is a Senior Correspondent at BusinessDay. She holds a Masters in management from the University of Lagos, an undergraduate from University of Lagos, and is in an alumni of Queen's College. Shes currently an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). She has a brief experience at Goldman sachs, London in its Human Capital Management division. She is interested in human capital development and is leveraging her varied experience across sectors to report labour and global mobility trends for stakeholders to make informed decisions.