UK Immigration sees a downward trend as per the latest statistics such as:
- The number of overseas workers, students, and their families applying for UK visas has dropped by one-third in the past year, from 141,000 in July 2023 to 91,000 recently.
- The decline is largely attributed to rule changes by the Conservative government, which banned most international students and health and social care workers from bringing family members to the UK.
- The changes in immigration rules led to an 80% decrease in health and care worker visa applications.
As per the latest “UK Immigration Statistics,” reported through BBC, the start of the fall can be observed since the conservative party introduced new rules. As visa-guru.com reported back in May 2024, even at that time the immigration numbers went down to 25%.
Decline in Visa Applications
The number of overseas workers, students, and their families applying for visas to the UK has dropped by one-third over the past year. The Home Office reports that applications fell from around 141,000 in July 2023 to 91,000 last month.
Impact of New Rules
New rules banned international students and health and social care workers from bringing their families to the UK. This has led to a significant reduction in visa applications, with health and care worker visas dropping by 80% to just 2,900. The Home Office aims to focus on training the local workforce to address skill shortages.
Effects on Universities and Migration Trends
The drop in international student visas may put additional financial strain on universities. Overall, while legal net migration had a record high of 764,000 in 2022, it decreased by 10% the following year. The Office for National Statistics notes that it’s too early to determine if this trend will continue.
Major Changes that caused immigration numbers fall
The new rules announced by the UKBA were implemented in a series from January to April 2024, some of the main changes are as follows:
| New Rules | Details |
| Ban on Care Workers Bringing Family Dependants | Effective from 12 March 2024, care workers cannot bring family dependants to the UK. |
| Abolishment of the Shortage Occupations List | Removal of the list that previously allowed certain occupations to bypass standard immigration controls. |
| Increase in Healthcare Surcharge | The annual surcharge for healthcare will rise to £1,035. |
| Increase in Minimum Salary for Skilled Worker Visa | Minimum salary requirement for UK skilled worker visa will rise to £38,700 per year from 4 April 2024. |
| Changes to Occupation Codes | Updates to the codes used to classify job roles for immigration purposes. |
| Mandatory Registration for Carer Companies | Carer companies must register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). |
| Introduction of the New “Immigration Salary List” | A new list introduced to regulate salaries for immigration purposes. |