Recent figures indicate a significant decrease in the number of foreign nationals applying to work in the UK’s NHS and social care sectors. According to official data, the Conservative government granted a total of 286,382 work visas in the year leading up to June 2024, reflecting an 11% decline compared to the previous year.
The detailed Home Office report reveals a sharp drop in health and care sector visas, with only 89,085 approved over the same period—an 80% decrease when compared to the April to June period of the previous year. This downturn follows new immigration restrictions introduced by the former Conservative government, aimed at reducing the overall immigration figures by tightening rules on foreign workers and their families.
These changes, announced by former Home Secretary James Cleverly in December last year, included stricter salary thresholds for visa applicants and their dependents. The initiative was part of a broader effort to address high levels of net migration, which had been approaching record highs.
Not only has this impacted work visas, but there has also been a notable decline in student visas. In the year ending June 2024, 432,000 visas were granted to foreign students—a 13% decrease from the previous year. Additionally, visas granted to the dependents of students dropped by 81% during the first six months of 2024.
Dr. Ben Brindle of the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory commented on the statistics, noting that the fall in visa numbers should lead to a reduction in net migration. However, he added that any resurgence in health and care visas could slow the overall decline in migration figures. The Labour Party, which pledged to reduce net migration ahead of this year’s general election, is expected to benefit from these existing trends.
Seema Malhotra, the current immigration minister, criticized the previous Conservative government for failing to address skills shortages, which left employers heavily reliant on recruiting from overseas. Despite this, Malhotra has committed to maintaining some of the previous government’s measures, including restrictions on dependents joining visa holders in the UK.
In response, James Cleverly defended his actions as home secretary, arguing that they have contributed to the reduction in net migration.
Decline in Asylum Applications
While the majority of immigration to the UK is attributed to workers, students, and their families, asylum applications remain a significant part of the system. In the year to June, approximately 97,000 people sought refuge in the UK, marking an 8% drop from the previous year.
Among those seeking asylum, 38,784 individuals arrived irregularly, mostly through small boat crossings across the English Channel. The backlog of unresolved asylum cases has grown to 118,882, largely due to a halt in processing during the Conservative government’s attempt to implement a plan to relocate some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The new Labour government has since directed officials to address the backlog, focusing on identifying genuine refugees while ensuring those without a valid claim are removed from the UK.
Ms. Malhotra highlighted the disarray in the asylum system and reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving the issue. However, former Home Secretary Cleverly criticized the decision to reverse the Rwanda policy, questioning how the current government plans to handle rejected asylum applicants from countries like Afghanistan, Syria, or Iran, where it may not be safe to return them.