UK Sees Decline in Visa Approvals and Rising Asylum Backlog

New data reveals significant drops in health and care worker visas and overall migration, while asylum system faces increasing challenges.

Health and care worker visas fell by 26% in the year to June 2024, with an 81% drop in the April-June period alone.
Overall visa approvals for foreign workers, students, and family members decreased by 14% compared to the previous year.
The number of migrants granted British citizenship reached a record high, with 246,488 approvals in the year to June.
The asylum backlog, after initially decreasing, has started to rise again, with 118,882 people awaiting decisions as of June 2024.
Industry leaders warn of severe staff shortages in the social care sector due to the reduction in overseas workers.