By Euronews
Published on
Migrant arrivals to the United Kingdom in 2025 hit their highest level since 2022, according to government data.
The latest figures show 41,472 people arrived in the country via the English Channel last year, up by around 5,000 on 2024’s figures.
The 2025 figures are the second highest on record, behind the 2022 peak of 45,774.
The numbers for the UK contrast with those recorded across the European Union for last year.
According to the EU’s Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex, irregular entries into the bloc dropped by 25% in the first eleven months of 2025 peaking at over 166,900.
The sharpest declines were observed on the West African (-60%) and Western Balkans (-43%) routes. The trend was the same for the Eastern Mediterranean route, with a 43% decrease.
In contrast, the western Mediterranean route between Algeria, Morocco and Spain saw an increase over the same reporting period, with a 15% rise in irregular crossings.
The Central Mediterranean remained the EU’s busiest migratory corridor, responsible for nearly 40% of all irregular entries across the year.
Frontex recorded 63,200 arrivals between January and November 2025. Departures via this route mainly originate in Libya.
Despite this decrease in arrivals in the European Union, the human cost remains high. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), more than 1,700 people lost their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in 2025.