London: The number of migrants to the United Kingdom halved in 2024, reaching 431,000 people due to several factors, including stricter restrictions on student and work visas.

According to Qatar News Agency, the estimated number of migrants last year was 431,000, compared to 860,000 in the previous year ending in December 2023. It is the largest drop in net migration since the COVID-19 pandemic, with long-term net migration declining by about 50 percent.

The office reported a noticeable decrease in the number of people arriving with work and study visas, alongside a rise in emigration, particularly among those holding such visas.

The previous government had tightened the requirements for applicants seeking these types of visas, including setting higher salary thresholds and denying them the ability to bring family members. Immigration has since become a contentious political issue in the UK, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiling new immigration policies earlier this month, vowing to finally take back control of the country’s borders.

The measures included reducing the number of foreign care workers and doubling the period migrants must wait before qualifying for permanent residency. New powers were also introduced to allow for the deportation of foreign criminals.

Starmer, a former human rights lawyer who voted in favor of the UK remaining in the European Union, now faces renewed pressure to address immigration following gains made by the anti-immigration Reform Party in recent local elections.