Indians top UK student, skilled worker visa extensions: Official data

london: indian nationals topped the number of student and skilled worker visa extensions granted by the uk home office, according to official migration statistics released on thursday.the data showed that 95,231 sponsored study visas were granted to indian students in the year ending december 2025, accounting for 23 per cent of the total and making them the largest group of international students in the uk.indians also received the highest number of skilled worker visa extensions at 90,031, followed by pakistani and nigerian nationals. in the health and care sector, indians again led with 104,555 visa extensions, highlighting their significant contribution to the uk workforce.indian nationals also topped graduate visa extensions at 90,153, allowing students to stay in the uk for up to two years after completing their studies to work or seek employment.the home office noted a 3 per cent rise in sponsored study visas overall, while graduate visa extensions declined by 6 per cent following stricter immigration policies.the data underscores the continued dominance of indian nationals in the uk's education and skilled migration sectors, officials said.