The number of British visas issued to foreign health and care workers, as well as to family members of international students, has seen a significant drop due to recent government-imposed restrictions aimed at reducing net migration.
In the year ending June, Britain granted 89,095 visas to health and care workers, marking a 26% decrease compared to the previous year. The situation worsened between April and June, with an 81% year-on-year decline in visa grants for these workers.
Similarly, visas granted to dependents of overseas students fell by 81% in the first half of this year, totaling just 11,675, compared to the same period last year. These reductions follow the government’s introduction of stricter visa rules, including higher salary thresholds and limitations on care workers bringing family members to the UK.
These changes reflect ongoing political pressures in Britain, where high levels of legal migration have been a contentious issue, significantly influencing the 2016 Brexit referendum.
