Foreign nationals convicted of crimes in the UK are facing vastly different outcomes depending on their country of origin, with new analysis suggesting that offenders from Iran, Iraq, India and Pakistan are among the least likely to be removed from Britain.
According to figures from the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, almost 19,400 foreign offenders remain in the community despite being subject to deportation orders, a sharp rise of nearly 25 per cent in just two years. While around 12,000 deportations have been carried out over the same period, a closer look reveals striking disparities in how different nationalities are treated.
Deportation Disparities
Between 2022 and 2024, Iranians were linked to more than 1,200 convictions for crimes ranging from sexual assault and violent offences to fraud, arson and weapons possession. Yet only 16 individuals were deported during that time, an average of nearly 78 convictions per removal. More than 1,100 convictions were linked to Iraqi nationals, resulting in only 61 removals. Pakistanis showed a comparable trend, with just 104 deportations despite a conviction tally above 1,100.
In contrast, Romanians, who registered the highest number of convictions at almost 9,000, also saw a relatively high level of enforcement, with 2,494 deportations in the same three-year span. Albanians stood out as the nationality most likely to be removed relative to conviction rates, helped by a fast-track returns agreement signed in 2022. With more than 6,000 convictions and almost 4,000 deportations, the ratio was just 1.5 convictions for every removal.
A Harder Line from Government
The disparities are fuelling fresh debate about the government’s approach to deportations. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signalled a tougher stance, proposing that countries unwilling to take back their nationals could face restrictions on visas for work, study and travel.
The Nationality and Borders Act already provides ministers with the ability to reduce visa access for countries that obstruct deportations. However, despite being introduced by former Home Secretary Priti Patel, the mechanism has never been triggered., the mechanism have yet to be activated.
Zero Removals in Dozens of Cases
The data also shows that 45 different nationalities recorded criminal convictions over the past three years without a single deportation taking place. Among them were Yemen, Zambia, the United Arab Emirates and East Timor.
At the same time, the Home Office has stepped up enforcement against employers exploiting the visa system. Nearly 2,000 sponsor licences were revoked in the year to June 2025, more than double the previous year’s total, amid concerns that some companies were abusing the scheme to underpay foreign workers and sidestep immigration rules.
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