Uk Visa Applications Drop Over Policies
Following stringent immigration policies, the United Kingdom has experienced a drastic decline in visa applications, Osun Defender reports.
Recall the UK government enacted a restrictive regulations in December 2023.
The new regulations aim to limit the ability of international students to bring dependants with them, a move that has sent shockwaves through the visa application landscape.
The policy shift is part of the government’s broader strategy to manage immigration, which surged to an unprecedented 1.22 million last year.
However, a data recently released by the Home Office reveals a staggering drop in applications, dropping from 141,000 to just 91,000—a decline of over 30%.
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Osun Defender observed that the sharp
decrease underscores the immediate impact of the new law, which permits dependants to accompany international students only if they are enrolled in postgraduate research programs or are part of government-funded scholarship initiatives.
The repercussions of these changes are evident, with study visa applications falling by 16% from January to July 2024 compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
The most alarming is the staggering 81% drop in visa applications from the dependants of students, highlighting the profound effect of these new restrictions.
It was also.observed that the healthcare sector is not immune to this trend, as applications for Health and Care Worker visas have also seen a dramatic decline, dropping by 80% during the same period.
The Home Office report notes that while the number of main applicants for Health and Care Worker visas surged from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023—thanks to the inclusion of care workers in the skilled worker visa category—this upward trend has reversed since August 2023, with applications dwindling to just 2,900 by July 2024.
As the UK grapples with these changes, the implications for its economy and workforce remain to be seen, raising questions about the future of immigration and its role in the nation’s growth.
