‘The United Kingdom’s (UK’s) latest statistics on monthly entry clearance visa applications reveal a significant decrease in the number of health worker visas issued.
This sharp decline has sparked concerns about the country’s ability to fill critical roles in the healthcare sector.
It is especially concerning when the country is experiencing workforce shortages.
The downward trend reflects the number of work, health, and study visas issued in the first seven months of 2024.
Applications to the three key routes to the UK have significantly decreased compared to the same period last year.
In July, the UK received 91,300 applications for the key visa routes, down 36 percent during the same month in 2023.
The decline is attributed to recent policy changes aimed at curbing immigration after it reached a record high in 2022
The decline in health worker visas
In July 2024, only 2,900 people applied for Health and Care Worker visas, compared to 18,300 in August 2023, a drop of 82 percent from the same month last year.
The number of visa applications from health workers’ dependants fell to only 22,200 between April and July 2024.
This is a massive decline from 75,300 for the same period in 2023.
The decline comes after a period of growth in the number of health worker visas.
The route had a surge in applications after the UK added it to the Skilled Worker visa list in early 2022.
The peak demand for health worker visas in the UK reflected the urgent need for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging population.
However, recent policy changes have reversed this trend.
The new health and care worker visa rules, which came into force in early 2024, restricted them from bringing dependants.
This has made the UK a less attractive destination for international health workers.
Implications for the healthcare sector
The Financial Times reported that the drop in health worker visa applications began even before introducing new policies.
The visa route could have reached saturation point in December 2023 after many health and care providers took advantage of it in 2022.
Still, the decline could have implications for the UK’s healthcare system.
The NHS and other care providers have long relied on international staff to fill essential roles.
This is particularly true in areas like nursing and elderly care, with persistent shortages.
With fewer international health workers coming to the UK, the sector may face staffing challenges, potentially impacting patient care.
The drop in visa applications raises concerns about the effectiveness of current immigration policies in meeting the UK’s healthcare needs.
Student visa applications also falling
While the decrease in health worker visas is the most dramatic, the UK has also seen a significant drop in Student visas issued.
The number of sponsored study visa applications from January to July 2024 was 15 percent lower than during the same period in 2023.
The decline is due to policy changes in January 2024, which prevent international students from bringing their families to the UK.
This year, only international postgraduate research students or those with government-funded scholarships can bring their families to the UK.
The policy shift has resulted in an 81 percent decline in dependant visas issued to international students.
However, the number of Student visa applications reached its highest point in July at 69,500.
This is because many students rushed to apply before the school year starts.
Still, this number is down from last year’s 81,900 applications during the same period.
According to The Guardian, August has had the highest number of Student visa applications.
The Home Office cautions to assess the full impact of the policy change this year after observing the peak month of student applications.
The UK has long been a top choice for international students, significantly contributing to its universities.
The decline in Student visa applications could have broader implications.
This includes potential financial impacts on educational institutions and the UK’s global reputation as a leader in higher education.
Demand for other skilled workers remains
The statistics also show interesting trends in Skilled Worker visas outside of the health worker visas.
Between April and July 2024, the UK issued 28,600 Skilled Worker visas, a 23 percent increase from the same period in 2023.
This shows that while fewer health workers are coming to the UK, the demand for other overseas skilled workers remains.
The number of visas issued to family members of skilled workers was 5,800 visas, down from the 8,100 issued in January 2024.
Overall, the government issued 23,400 dependant visas for skilled workers from April to July 2024, a slight increase from the previous year.
These numbers could be linked to policy changes and economic conditions, as the new salary threshold for skilled workers is now at £38,700.
Labor’s approach to legal migration
The current Labour government has said it will retain all the previous Conservative government’s new legal migration policies.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, however, had paused plans to raise the family visa income threshold further to £38,700 next year.
Instead, she asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the level at which family visa income should be set.
The British Government has also proposed new laws to improve pay and working conditions in social care.
This includes a “fair pay agreement” to help workers negotiate better terms and stay in their jobs.
It has also created a new government body, Skills England, to train British workers to fill skill gaps.
In line with this, Cooper commissioned the MAC to review why the IT and engineering sectors have relied on overseas workers.
The review aims to understand why this is and check which skills can be improved in the local workforce.
The Home Office had stressed its plan to reduce high levels of legal migration by addressing why international recruitment is so prevalent.
It aims to balance immigration benefits with control and fairness, focusing on developing the local workforce and addressing skill shortages.