The UK has seen a significant decline in visa applications from foreign health and care workers, with a 76 per cent drop compared to the same period in the previous year, according to new figures released on Wednesday. This decline is attributed to the enforcement of strict new rules by the Home Office aimed at reducing legal migration to Britain.
In the first four months of 2024, only 12,400 requests were made for health and care worker visas, compared to 50,900 during the same period in 2023. However, there has been a contrasting increase of 50 per cent in skilled worker visa applications during the same timeframe, prompting criticism from the Labour Party, which accuses the government of lacking control over immigration.
The Home Office implemented new regulations earlier this year, including a ban on foreign carers bringing their loved ones to the UK starting from March 11. Additionally, wage thresholds for skilled workers were raised to £29,000 from £18,600 in April. While the government claims these measures are effective in reducing legal migration levels, opposition politicians, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, argue that they will strain an already overburdened NHS and social care system.
Home Secretary James Cleverly defended the government’s plan, citing the latest provisional Home Office data showing a decline in overseas student and foreign care worker visa applications. He emphasized that legal migration continues to decrease across key routes and stated that the measures will be reviewed regularly, with further action taken if necessary.
However, Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock criticized the government for trying to fix the repercussions of its own policies. Meanwhile, other visa categories saw fluctuations in application numbers, with increases in skilled worker and sponsored student study visa applications, but decreases in the number of dependants included in these applications.
The Home Office noted that the full impact of recent policy changes and other factors on visa applications may not be evident until the peak application period for the next academic year, typically in August and September.
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