UK visa applications for work, study and family routes fell across most major categories in the year ending August 2026, according to provisional Home Office figures published on 10 September 2026.
The sharpest decline came in the Health and Care Worker route, where applications from main applicants dropped by 65% compared with the previous year.
Sponsored study applications fell by 16%, Skilled Worker applications from main applicants declined by 43%, and Family visa applications were 20% lower. Seasonal Worker applications moved in the opposite direction, rising by 8%.
Importantly, these statistics count applications—not visas granted, refused or cancelled. The figures remain provisional and will later be finalised through the quarterly Home Office immigration statistics.
Main Figures
| Visa category | YE August 2026 | Annual change |
| Health and Care Worker—main applicants | 7,600 | Down 65% |
| Health and Care Worker—dependants | 31,900 | Down 35% |
| Skilled Worker—main applicants | 26,900 | Down 43% |
| Skilled Worker—dependants | 36,300 | Down 24% |
| Sponsored study—main applicants | 360,700 | Down 16% |
| Student dependants | 17,000 | Down 22% |
| Family visas | 63,800 | Down 20% |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | 20,700 | Down 6% |
| Seasonal Worker | 41,800 | Up 8% |
The year ending August 2026 covers 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026.
Care Route Records Steepest Fall
Only 7,600 main applicants applied under the Health and Care Worker route during the 12-month period. This was 65% below the previous year and 95% below the peak of 161,700 recorded in the year ending November 2023.
Applications from Health and Care Worker dependants also fell to 31,900. This represented a 35% annual decline and an 86% reduction from the peak recorded in the year ending February 2024.
The Home Office connected the longer-term fall with increased scrutiny of employers, compliance action against sponsors and immigration changes introduced in 2024 and July 2025.
Overseas recruitment for care workers under the current route ended in July 2025. However, certain care workers already inside the UK may continue switching into the route until July 2028.
Skilled Worker Demand Weakens
Skilled Worker applications from main applicants fell to 26,900—a decrease of 43%. Applications from dependants reached 36,300, down 24% from 47,800 a year earlier.
Several important requirements changed on 22 July 2025:
- Most qualifying jobs must now be at RQF Level 6 or above, unless a listed exception applies.
- The general Skilled Worker salary threshold increased from £38,700 to £41,700.
- The Health and Care Worker threshold remained at £25,000.
- Workers sponsored for Temporary Shortage List jobs cannot bring dependants.
The English-language requirement for several work routes, including Skilled Worker, was raised from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026.
Although these changes appear relevant to the decline, the Home Office cautioned that immigration rules are only one of several factors influencing application numbers.
Study Applications Decline
The UK received 360,700 Sponsored study applications from main applicants, representing a 16% annual reduction.
Applications from student dependants fell to 17,000—22% fewer than during the previous year. They were also 88% below the year ending December 2023, before restrictions introduced on 1 January 2024 prevented most international students from bringing dependants.
The government introduced a “visa brake” on 26 March 2026, restricting certain overseas visa applications according to the main applicant’s nationality. However, the Home Office said the affected nationalities represented only a small proportion of Sponsored study applications.
Family Applications Fall
Family visa applications totalled 63,800, down 20% from 79,900 during the previous 12-month period.
Monthly applications fell from 8,400 in September 2025 to 4,100 in August 2026. According to the Home Office, the decline followed the pause affecting new Refugee Family Reunion applications.
People seeking reunification may consider other family routes, but only if they meet the relevant requirements.
Seasonal Workers Buck the Trend
Not every route experienced a decline. Seasonal Worker applications increased by 8% to 41,800. This route operates under an annual quota and follows seasonal recruitment patterns.
Youth Mobility Scheme applications fell more modestly, declining by 6% to 20,700. Applicants under the Seasonal Worker and Youth Mobility Scheme routes cannot bring dependants.
What Applicants Should Understand
The figures suggest that the UK’s recent immigration changes are being followed by substantially lower application volumes across important work, study and family routes.
The decline is particularly noticeable in categories affected by higher skill and salary requirements, dependant restrictions or the closure of overseas care-worker recruitment.
However, fewer applications do not automatically mean lower approval rates. The data shows how many people applied, not how many applications succeeded. Applicants should therefore assess the rules governing their own route instead of treating the overall decline as a prediction of their individual outcome