Bucharest, January 2, 2026 – By Constantin Radut – According to the latest data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the United Kingdom at the end of 2025, the number of Romanians who left the United Kingdom significantly exceeded the number of Poles, becoming the EU nationality with the highest emigration rate. We would like to point out that Poles are the most numerous nationality in the top of immigrants in the UK, within the EU, followed by Romanians.
The main statistical data for 2025 show the following:
approximately 40,000 Romanians leave the United Kingdom annually. In the first half of 2025 alone (January-June), the departure of 37,000 Romanians was recorded.
During the same period, approximately 25,000 Polish citizens chose to return to their native country.
After more than a decade in which the UK was one of the main destinations for Romanians working abroad, the migration flow is starting to reverse visibly. Official data and testimonies in the British press show that more and more Romanians are choosing to leave the United Kingdom and return to Romania, citing a combination of reasons related to the cost of living, discrimination, safety and the quality of public services.
Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics indicate that Romanians are at the top of the list of departures among European Union citizens. Between June last year and June this year, the number of Romanians who left the United Kingdom significantly exceeded that of other Eastern European communities, including Poles. The phenomenon was described by the DailyMail as the “great retreat”. In the first six months of the year alone, around 37,000 Romanians left the UK, while the number of those who arrived was almost three times lower.
The main reasons for leaving are, according to UK government and non-government organisations: >>> The high cost of living: inflation and rising rents mean that life in the UK is no longer as profitable as it used to be. >>> The decline of public services: dissatisfaction with the National Health Service (NHS) and rising crime rates in some urban areas. >>> The new post-Brexit rules: the implementation of the points-based immigration system has made it more difficult to obtain permanent residency and bring family members. Last but not least, there is talk of opportunities in Romania: rising wages in certain sectors in Romania and access to repatriation grants (e.g. entrepreneurship) are attracting many Romanians back home.
For many Romanians, the 2016 Brexit referendum marked the beginning of a profound change in attitude. Some of those interviewed by the British press speak of a deterioration in public perception of Eastern Europeans. Crime, drug use and the deterioration of some neighborhoods were frequently mentioned as decisive reasons for leaving, especially by families with children.
The increase in living standards in Romania has become more attractive to those who have left. Good wages, low unemployment, more affordable housing prices and a perception of greater safety are leading many to return. Some families returning from the West of England have invested in agriculture or local businesses, saying that such a project would have been impossible to carry out in the UK due to the high costs. For others, the healthcare system has been a key factor. Romanians who have worked in the UK for years say that difficult experiences with the health service have convinced them to return home, where they feel they have faster access to care.
In the face of this extremely important phenomenon for the economy and demography of Romania, the authorities in Bucharest remain passive, do not create a necessary communicative environment for those who have returned home, do not provide facilities to those who are ready to return to their homeland.
The National Institute of Statistics in Romania has one of the weakest involvements in the knowledge and significance of this phenomenon of “great returns” to the country. Likewise, the Ministry of Interior does not have a specialized department in consulting for Romanians in the diaspora interested in returning to the country.
