The number of international applications for work and study visas in the UK has dropped by over a third following new restrictions, according to the Guardian. In July, the total number of applicants for skilled worker, health and care, and student visas fell to 91,300, a significant decrease from the same month last year.
Health and care visa applications saw the most pronounced drop, plummeting by 82% to just 2,900. Student visa applications also fell by 15% to 69,500. The reduction in these figures suggests a notable decrease in overall immigration numbers, which had reached a record high of 764,000 last year and remained high at 685,000.
The Tory government, under Rishi Sunak, had implemented a ban preventing international students and healthcare workers from bringing family members. This policy remains in place, as Labour has not indicated plans to reverse it. The Home Office reported a 15% drop in sponsored student visa applications for July, continuing a downward trend from earlier in the year.
The University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory forecasts that net migration could fall to around 350,000 by 2030, driven by reduced international student arrivals and a decrease in private sector job openings. However, this reduction may lead to challenges, including potential financial difficulties for universities and staffing shortages in the health and social care sectors.
Overall, applications for skilled worker, healthcare, and student visas have decreased from 143,000 in July of last year to 91,300 this year, marking a 36% decline. The reduction follows the introduction of a ban on family members of care workers and tighter visa sponsorship regulations.
Labour plans to introduce legislation to improve pay and working conditions in the social care sector. Meanwhile, the Home Office stated, “We have outlined a clear strategy to reduce the historically high levels of legal migration by addressing the underlying causes behind high international recruitment.” The aim is to manage immigration in a fair and controlled manner, balancing benefits with domestic workforce needs.
