Finance
UK visa issuance continues to fall, down 19% in 2025, government data shows
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 26, 2026
Quick Summary
UK work visas fell 19% in 2025 to 168,000 as tighter rules bite, halving health and care permits and cutting other skilled visas 36%. Net migration dropped by two‑thirds; irregular arrivals rose and forced removals increased 21%.
UK Work Visa Issuance Falls 19% in 2025, Official Figures Reveal
LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The number of work visas issued by Britain in the year to December 2025 fell by 19% from the previous year, government data showed on Thursday, reflecting the ongoing impact of tighter visa rules.
UK Work Visa Trends and Policy Context
Successive governments have sought to introduce tighter controls on visas to limit legal migration, and to take action to stop immigrants arriving illegally by small boats and deport those who do make it to the country by such means.
Political Pressures and Opinion Polls
The Labour government is trailing Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK party, which campaigns on an anti-migration platform, in opinion polls, placing Prime Minister Keir Starmer under intense pressure to show he has the issue under control.
2025 Work Visa Totals and Year-on-Year Change
- The data released on Thursday showed 168,000 work visas were issued in 2025, down 19% on 2024 and 50% on 2023.
Skilled Worker visas down 36%
Health and Care visas halved
Sector Breakdown: Health and Care, Skilled Workers
- The fall included a halving of the number of visas issued in the health and care sector and a 36% decline in the number of other skilled worker visas.
Net Migration Trend from ONS Data
- That continues a trend seen in data released by the Office for National Statistics last year, which showed long-term net migration to Britain fell by more than two-thirds in the year to June.
Small boats share: 89% of arrivals
Irregular Arrivals and Channel Crossings
- There were 46,497 detected arrivals via illegal routes, up 7%. Of these arrivals, 89% were in small boats.
Asylum Claims and Processing
- 100,625 people claimed asylum in the period, 4% fewer than the previous year.
Enforcement Actions and Removals
- The number of forced removals from Britain rose 21% to 9,900.
(Reporting by William James; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Key Takeaways
- •Work visas issued in 2025 fell 19% to 168,000, half the 2023 level.
- •Health and care visas halved; other skilled worker visas fell 36%.
- •ONS data shows long‑term net migration down by over two‑thirds to June 2025.
- •Detected irregular arrivals rose 7% to 46,497, with 89% via small boats.
- •Asylum claims dipped 4% to 100,625 while forced removals rose 21% to 9,900.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK visa issuance continues to fall, down 19% in 2025, government data shows
1What is the main topic?
The article examines a 19% year‑on‑year fall in UK work visas in 2025 to 168,000, driven by tighter immigration rules. It also highlights shifts in net migration, irregular arrivals, asylum claims and removals.
2Which visa routes were most affected?
Health and care visas were roughly halved and other skilled worker visas declined 36%, reflecting stricter eligibility and higher salary thresholds.
3How do these changes affect broader migration trends?
Provisional ONS data shows long‑term net migration fell by more than two‑thirds to June 2025. Meanwhile, detected irregular arrivals rose 7% and forced removals increased 21%.
