Home Office Reports a 14% Decline in Work, Family, and Other Visa Applications
The Home Office disclosed data on illegal immigration, indicating that approximately one-third (31 percent) of new asylum seekers arrived unlawfully by boat.
Government figures show a 14 percent decrease in the number of visas issued to foreign workers, international students, family joiners, and settlement scheme beneficiaries over a year.
Published Home Office statistics from Thursday revealed that in the year ending June 2024, the UK granted 1.23 million visas (1,234,817) to foreign nationals through legal routes, a decrease from 1,435,372 in the previous year.
Out of these, approximately 1.6 million visas were issued for workers, students, family members, and dependents. The majority were work visas, totaling 546,774, slightly higher than the 538,222 issued in the year to June 2023.
Student visas amounted to 530,496, dropping from 656,589 in the previous 12 months. Additionally, 84,403 family visas (up from 75,131) and 4,007 dependent visas (down from 5,167) were granted.
Furthermore, in the year to June 2024, an additional 69,137 individuals were allowed entry to the UK under various legal visa schemes and settlement programs.
Net Immigration
Recent data from the Office for National Statistics revealed that net migration dropped by 10 percent to 685,000 in the past year, following a record high of 764,000 in 2022.
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly, a Conservative Party leadership candidate, attributed the decrease in visas to successful immigration reduction measures implemented during his tenure as home secretary.
Researcher Ben Brindle from the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory indicated a potential decline in net migration due to recent visa trends and rising emigration, although the exact impact remains uncertain.
Third of Asylum Seekers Crossed Channel
In the year ending June 2024, 38,784 individuals entered the UK illegally, of which 81 percent (31,493) arrived through the English Channel on small boats.
Small boat landings decreased by 29 percent compared to the year prior, with Afghans constituting the largest portion of illegal entries via this route.
Almost all (99 percent) of those arriving by boat applied for asylum, comprising about a third (31 percent) of total asylum claims for the year.
Refugee Status Approvals Triple
67,987 individuals were granted refugee status in the year to June 2024, a significant increase from the 21,436 approvals in the previous 12 months.
There were 75,658 claims relating to 97,107 people, a decrease from the previous year’s figures, indicating a shift in asylum application trends.
While the number of asylum seekers awaiting decisions decreased to 118,882, challenges persisted in processing applications despite the decline.
PA Media contributed to this report.
