07/10/2026
No Comments
UK visas: Applications from abroad drop 43% as fast-track AI work permits proposed
The number of people applying for visas to work and study in the UK fell by nearly 400,000
Nearly 400,000 fewer people from abroad have applied for UK work or study visas since strict new immigration rules came into force, Home Office figures revealed on Thursday.
Provisional data shows 547,000 visa applications were received between April and December 2024, down from 942,500 in the same period in 2023.
The drop of 395,100, or 42 per cent, has been driven by sharp falls in the number of overseas students and foreign care workers applying to come to Britain.
Applications to come on a health and care worker visa fell by a much steeper 79 per cent, from 299,800 in April to December 2023 compared with 63,800 in the same period last year.
Last year the former Conservative government implemented a string of new visa restrictions amid pressure to cut record legal immigration to the UK and slash arrivals by 300,000 a year.
They included a ban on overseas care workers bringing family members with them in March and a hiking the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700 in April.
The social care sector previously hit out at the potential ramifications of the dependants ban, branding it “brutal”.
It comes as the Prime Minister is set to unveil Britain’s AI Opportunities Action Plan next week, which is expected to contain a recommendation for fast-tracking the visa process for those with AI skills.
The proposal, written by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford, is aimed at boosting Britain’s AI sector.
Share on:
Recent Articles
07/10/2026
No Comments
07/10/2026
No Comments
07/10/2026
No Comments
Recent Articles
Guidance
Ontario international students face 20% fee hike for compulsory health insurance
Ontario international students face 20% fee hike for compulsory health insurance Every international student enrolled at a major Ontario university must pay at least $156 more for compulsory health insurance,
07/10/2026
No Comments
News
International students bring much more than money to the UK
International students bring much more than money to the UK Catriona McCarthy says enduring personal and professional connections should not be overlooked, while Graham Thompson says university leaders should shoulder
07/10/2026
No Comments
Guidance
Canada tightens student immigration rules as African students face shrinking path to permanent residency
Canada tightens student immigration rules as African students face shrinking path to permanent residency Canada is tightening its international student system as the government cuts study-permit targets and makes the
07/10/2026
No Comments
News
This article is more than 1 month old UK universities face ‘financial crisis’ amid collapse in international students
This article is more than 1 month old UK universities face ‘financial crisis’ amid collapse in international students Higher education figures call on Labour to reverse tax on fees and
07/10/2026
No Comments
News
UK Home Office revokes Bloomsbury Institute’s student sponsor licence
UK Home Office revokes Bloomsbury Institute’s student sponsor licence In a moment where every UK institution is especially focused on compliance requirements, the Home Office confirmed in a statement last
07/10/2026
No Comments
International Exams
Bloomsbury Institute’s student sponsor licence revoked
Bloomsbury Institute’s student sponsor licence revoked The Bloomsbury Institute, a higher education provider in central London, has had its licence to sponsor international students revoked. The Bloomsbury Institute, a higher
07/10/2026
No Comments