The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced that it will publish a stand-alone update on international student migration in May 2026. The statistical notice, released on 10 November 2025, confirms that the development output will analyse student inflows and outflows from 2019 through the 2025 academic year using the Home Office’s Borders and Immigration database.
The move responds to growing political scrutiny of the student route, especially after recent policy changes shortening the Graduate visa to 18 months and raising financial maintenance thresholds. Universities and business groups have complained that headline immigration figures do not distinguish between temporary study and long-term settlement, skewing the public debate.
![ONS Schedules First Dedicated Release on International Student Migration]()
By publishing a dedicated series, the ONS aims to provide clearer evidence on how many students leave when their courses end, how many switch into work or family routes, and what contribution fee-paying students make to net migration. The May 2026 release will be provisional, but it will form the basis for subsequent bi-annual updates if data quality meets the required standard.
For employers that hire graduates under the Skilled Worker or Graduate visa, the dataset should offer better insight into talent pipelines and regional retention rates. The ONS says it will consult sector stakeholders on the variables to include, such as course level, institution type and subsequent visa route.
While not an immediate regulatory change, the announcement underscores the government’s intent to base future policy—potentially including caps on student dependants—on granular evidence. Mobility and higher-education advisers should watch the May 2026 release and prepare briefings for corporate HR and university recruitment teams.
The move responds to growing political scrutiny of the student route, especially after recent policy changes shortening the Graduate visa to 18 months and raising financial maintenance thresholds. Universities and business groups have complained that headline immigration figures do not distinguish between temporary study and long-term settlement, skewing the public debate.
By publishing a dedicated series, the ONS aims to provide clearer evidence on how many students leave when their courses end, how many switch into work or family routes, and what contribution fee-paying students make to net migration. The May 2026 release will be provisional, but it will form the basis for subsequent bi-annual updates if data quality meets the required standard.
For employers that hire graduates under the Skilled Worker or Graduate visa, the dataset should offer better insight into talent pipelines and regional retention rates. The ONS says it will consult sector stakeholders on the variables to include, such as course level, institution type and subsequent visa route.
While not an immediate regulatory change, the announcement underscores the government’s intent to base future policy—potentially including caps on student dependants—on granular evidence. Mobility and higher-education advisers should watch the May 2026 release and prepare briefings for corporate HR and university recruitment teams.
