The number of migrant workers coming to the UK has sharply declined due to recent visa restrictions, prompting the Home Secretary to request a review of international recruitment practices in key sectors. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is now urging the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to evaluate the impact of these restrictions on the technology and engineering fields.
In July, the UK saw a significant drop in visa applications for skilled workers, healthcare professionals, and students. Applications fell by over one-third compared to the same month last year, from 143,000 to 91,300, marking a 36% decrease. There was an even more dramatic decline in specific categories: applications for health and care visas dropped by 82% between April and July, while study visa applications fell by 15% during the same period.
Also, the number of applications for health and care dependent visas dropped by 71%, with only 22,200 applications from April to July 2024. This decrease is partly because of new immigration rules from the previous government, which now limit foreign students from bringing dependents, except for some postgraduate research students.
The current trends suggest a potential significant reduction in annual migration figures when official statistics are published later this year. This follows a record high net migration of 745,000 in 2022, which decreased to 685,000 in 2023.
In response to these developments, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has written to the MAC, requesting a review of visa requirements for skilled workers in IT, telecommunications, and engineering. She is particularly interested in understanding the reliance on international talent in these sectors and has suggested the possibility of raising the salary threshold for migrant workers. Cooper emphasized the need to balance these adjustments against the risks of undermining British wages and complicating the immigration system.
The MAC is expected to report back within nine months. This review is part of a broader initiative by the newly formed Skills England to identify and address skills gaps in the UK labor market. The role of migrant labor in filling these gaps is a key consideration.
Karoli Hindricks, CEO of employee relocation platform Jobbatical, highlighted the rapid advancements in technology and engineering driven by international talent. Hindricks cautioned that making the UK less welcoming to skilled global professionals could harm the country’s competitive edge in emerging fields like artificial intelligence. She stressed the importance of international talent in maintaining the UK’s position as a leader in these industries.