The United Kingdom has confirmed a 35 per cent drop in visa applications in one year following policy changes, that specifically restricted international students from bringing dependants unless they were enrolled in postgraduate research courses or government-funded scholarship programs.
According to official figures released by the Home Office on Thursday, August 8, 2024, the number of visa applications fell from 141,000 to 91,000 after new rules came into effect in January 2024.
Similarly, there were 13,100 applications from dependants of students between January and July 2024 —about 81 percent fewer than January to July 2023.
The country also recorded an 80 percent fall in the number of applications for health and care worker visas within this period
“Monthly numbers of Health and Care Worker visa applications from main applicants increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023, following the addition of care workers to the skilled worker visa. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 2,900 in July 2024,” the report said.
The government said it is training a “homegrown workforce” to address the shortage of skilled workers.
