The number of health and care worker visa applications in the UK has seen a significant decline, with an 81% drop between April and July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to a recent report from the Home Office. This sharp decrease follows rule changes introduced by the Conservative government, which prohibited most international students and health and social care workers from bringing their families to the UK.
Visa applications for health and care workers fell from 18,300 in August 2023 to just 2,900 in July 2024, with a total of 10,800 applications from April to July 2024, representing an 81% decrease from the previous year. Applications for dependents also saw a dramatic decline, peaking at 23,300 in August 2023 and dropping to 5,100 by July 2024.
While skilled worker visa applications saw a slight increase, settling at 6,000 by July 2024, study visa applications decreased by 16% compared to the previous year. The Home Office insists that their focus remains on supporting the training and development of the domestic workforce to fill critical skill shortages, particularly in the health and social care sectors, in an effort to reduce reliance on overseas workers and promote sustainable workforce development within the UK.
A spokesperson for the Home Office stated that while immigration brings many benefits to the UK, it must be controlled and delivered through a fair system, emphasizing the importance of training the homegrown workforce to address skill shortages.
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