Indians are largest of non-EU migrants group settled in the UK

Indians are the largest migrant group from outside the European Union (EU) to settle in the UK but the overall migration in the country has fallen over the last one year, according to latest data released on Thursday.

The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that 305,000 people born in India are estimated to have moved to the UK between July 2016 and June 2017, making India the most common migrant nationality in the country after EU countries of Poland, Romania and the Republic of Ireland.

The recent trend of falling student numbers from India was reversed as 2,962 more students came to study in the UK over the past year to make up a total of 14,081, up 27 per cent from last year's 11,119.

Indian student numbers are now closer to the US (15,039) but still far behind the UK's largest overseas student category of China (88,258). Indian nationals also continue to account for the largest chunk of skilled work visas granted (57 per cent) and the number of visitor visas granted to Indians marked an 11 per cent rise of 42,123 to hit 427,737 in the last year, behind China (542,875).

"Together these two nationalities accounted for almost half (47 per cent) of all visit visas granted," the Home Office said.

Overall, the ONS data found that net migration to the UK had fallen by 106,000 to hit 230,000 during the one-year period, reflecting the first major decline since the EU referendum in favour of Brexit in June 2016.