The United Kingdom has seen a sharp decline in visa applications following the introduction of stricter immigration policies aimed at curbing the number of international students bringing dependants. Official figures released by the Home Office reveal that visa applications dropped from 141,000 to 91,000—a significant 35% decrease—after the new rules took effect in January 2024.

The policy changes, implemented in December 2023, restrict international students from bringing dependants unless they are enrolled in postgraduate research courses or government-funded scholarship programs. This move is part of the UK government’s broader effort to reduce immigration, which hit a record high of 1.22 million last year.

The education sector has been particularly impacted, with study visa applications dropping by 16% between January and July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Even more striking is the 81% decline in visa applications from the dependants of students, highlighting the significant effect of the new regulations.

The healthcare sector has also felt the repercussions, with Health and Care Worker visa applications plummeting by 80% during the same period. This decline follows a surge in applications after care workers were added to the skilled worker visa category in 2022. However, since August 2023, the number of applications has dropped dramatically, reaching just 2,900 in July 2024, down from a peak of 18,300 in August 2023.

These trends underscore the far-reaching impact of the UK’s new immigration policies on both the education and healthcare sectors.