The number of visas issued to foreign nationals entering the UK for work, study, family, or humanitarian purposes has fallen sharply, with work-related visas recording the steepest decline, according to new Home Office data.
In the year to June 2025, a total of 834,977 entry visas were granted — a 32 percent drop from 1.23 million in the previous year. This marks the lowest level since September 2021, when 802,415 visas were issued.
Work visas almost halved, plunging 48 percent from 545,855 to 286,071. Study visas fell 18 percent from 530,312 to 435,891, while family visas dropped 15 percent from 83,912 to 70,961.
Humanitarian and resettlement visas also decreased sharply: 14,216 were issued under the Ukraine schemes (down 48 percent), 11,804 to British National Overseas status holders from Hong Kong (down 47 percent), and 9,357 under the EU Settlement Scheme (down 34 percent). Smaller numbers were granted under dependants’ and settlement categories.
The sharpest fall was recorded in the health and care sector, where visas for workers and their families plunged 77 percent — from 267,348 in the year to June 2024 to 61,901 this year. Student dependant visas also fell dramatically by 81 percent, dropping from 94,204 to 17,804.
Analysts link the decline to stricter migration rules introduced by the previous Conservative government, including limits on international students bringing dependants and a ban on overseas care workers sponsoring family members.
Dr Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford noted that the fall reflects a correction from record highs. “It’s possible we’ll see further declines in the coming months, though probably smaller ones, as the data catches up with newer restrictions like the closure of the care worker route to overseas recruitment,” he said.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper welcomed the figures, saying the government is “bringing legal migration back under control,” with tougher visa rules and higher skill requirements expected to push numbers down further.
0 Comments