14% Drop in Work and Family Visas in the UK

The Home Office has released new statistics indicating a significant rise in illegal immigration, with 31 percent of new asylum seekers arriving in the UK by boat. In the year leading up to June 2024, the UK issued 1.23 million visas to foreign nationals through various legal channels, a 14 percent decrease from the previous year’s total of 1.44 million. Notably, student visas fell from 656,589 to 530,496, while family visas increased slightly to 84,403. In a related report, the Office for National Statistics revealed that net migration decreased by 10 percent last year, totaling 685,000, down from a record high of 764,000 in 2022. The decline was particularly evident in health and care worker visas, which dropped by 26 percent to 89,095. The Home Office attributed this trend partly to new restrictions on dependents, affecting both health workers and international students. The figures also highlighted a concerning trend in illegal immigration, with 38,784 individuals entering the UK unlawfully in the year ending June 2024. Of these, 81 percent arrived via small boats across the English Channel, marking a 29 percent decrease from the previous year. Almost all of these illegal entrants, 99 percent, sought asylum, representing a significant portion of total asylum claims. Additionally, the report noted a dramatic increase in refugee status grants, with 67,987 individuals receiving approval in the year to June 2024, compared to just 21,436 the previous year. This surge underscores the ongoing complexities surrounding immigration and asylum in the UK.