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UK visa sample
The number of visas granted to foreign nationals seeking to enter the United Kingdom (UK) for work, study, family, or humanitarian purposes has fallen sharply, according to new data released by the Home Office.
In the year to June 2025, a total of 834,977 visas were issued by UK across these categories, a 32 percent decline compared with the 1.23 million granted in the previous 12 months.
Work-related visas recorded the most significant drop, plunging 48 percent from 545,855 to 286,071. Study visas also fell by 18 percent to 435,891, while family visas decreased by 15 percent to 70,961.
Humanitarian and resettlement visas also saw steep declines. These include 14,216 visas under the Ukraine schemes (down 48 percent), 11,804 to Hong Kong’s British National Overseas (BNO) status holders (down 47 percent), and 9,357 issued under the EU Settlement Scheme (down 34 percent). An additional 3,640 visas were granted to dependants, while 3,037 were issued under other settlement programmes.
The latest figures represent the lowest 12-month total since September 2021, when 802,415 visas were issued.
The sharp decline follows a series of legal migration reforms introduced last year by the former Conservative government. These included restrictions preventing international students and overseas care workers from bringing dependants to the UK.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Labour government’s efforts were key to “restoring order” to the immigration system.
“We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous government left in chaos. Since coming to office, we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns,” she said.
Cooper highlighted progress, including a 30 percent rise in failed asylum seeker returns, an 11 percent cut in asylum costs, and an 18 percent reduction in the backlog of cases. She added that upcoming reforms to the asylum appeal process would help “end the chaotic use of asylum hotels.”
On legal migration, she stressed that the government is determined to tighten rules further.
“We are bringing migration back under control, with a 48 percent reduction in work visas this year and stronger controls, alongside higher skill requirements, set out in our White Paper, will bring those numbers down even more.” (Nigerian Tribune)
