UK work visas fall sharply as foreign worker numbers continue to decline

The number of work visas issued to foreign nationals in the UK has fallen sharply, with Home Office figures showing a 62% drop compared with 2023.

Some 235,000 work visas, including those for dependants, were granted in the year to June 2026. That was 18% fewer than the previous 12 months.

The biggest falls were recorded in the health and care and skilled worker routes. Health and care worker visas have dropped by 90%, while skilled worker visas are down 48%, since December 2023.

“The figures show the Government is restoring control over the UK’s borders, the Home Secretary said.”

The figures come as the Government continues to tighten the UK’s immigration system and reduce the number of people coming through work and other migration routes.

There was also a fall in asylum applications. 85,891 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year to June 2026, down 21% on the previous year.

The number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels fell by half to 16,021, compared with 32,041 a year earlier. It is the lowest figure since hotel accommodation figures began being published in 2022.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the figures showed that the Government was “restoring control” over the UK’s borders.