UK grants fewer work visas but asylum claims soar

By Muvija M

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain granted far fewer visas to foreign workers last year than in 2023 after the introduction of stricter policies for health and social care workers, but asylum claims hit a record high, official data showed on Thursday.

For years immigration has been one of the most contentious political issues facing the country and it played a major part in Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

Critics say large influxes stretch already strained public services and exacerbate housing shortages, and there is also anger at the numbers arriving without permission on small boats across the Channel from France. Others say migrants are needed to fill vacancies in certain sectors, particularly healthcare.

With growing public support for the opposition right-wing Reform UK party which has promised tougher immigration rules, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to reform the points-based system after revised data showed net migration had reached a record of more than 900,000 in the year to June 2023.

Home Office immigration statistics for 2024 showed 210,098 work visas were granted in the 12 months to the end of December, a 37% drop compared to the previous year.

Visas for health and social care workers fell by 81% to 27,174, the interior ministry data showed, continuing a downward trend that began in early 2024 following restrictions brought in by the previous Conservative government.

But the data also showed that 108,138 people claimed asylum in 2024, an 18% jump year-on-year, and surpassing the previous record high in 2002 with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran the most common nationalities claiming asylum. Small boat arrivals were also up 25% to 37,000.

However, the number of people who were granted refugee status or other leave at initial decision dropped by 37% to 39,616.

Starmer's Labour government, elected last July, has been ramping up efforts to clear a backlog in asylum claims. Although the number of cases dropped 5% compared to the end of 2023, 125,000 people were still awaiting an initial decision.

"Under the previous government, in the last few months before the election, asylum decision making collapsed by more than 70% pushing the backlog right up," border security and asylum minister Angela Eagle said in a statement.

(Reporting by Muvija M; editing by Michael Holden and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)