UK work visa applications fall 43%, and student visa applications drop 19% in latest figures

The UK has recorded a sharp fall in applications from overseas workers and international students, with new immigration figures showing declines across several major work and study visa routes.

Applications from main applicants for the Skilled Worker visa fell 43 per cent to 26,400 in the year ending September 2026, while applications under the Health and Care Worker visa route dropped 63 per cent to 7,500, according to provisional data published by the UK Home Office.

Also read: UK student visa refusals for Indian applicants rise to 8%, complicating international recruitment for universities


Applications for sponsored study visas also declined, falling 19 per cent to 352,500 over the same period. The figures cover applications from people intending to enter the UK for work, study and family reasons.

The declines come amid tighter immigration requirements, including higher salary thresholds for skilled workers, stricter job skill criteria and restrictions on bringing dependants.

Skilled Worker visa applications fall 43 per cent

The UK received 26,400 applications from main applicants under the Skilled Worker route in the year ending September 2026. Applications from their dependants fell 25 per cent to 35,500, compared with 47,400 in the previous year.

Since July 22, 2025, most jobs under this route have been required to meet Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6, broadly equivalent to graduate-level work. Exceptions apply to certain eligible occupations on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List.

The minimum salary threshold also increased from £38,700 to £41,700. Overseas professionals considering a move must check whether their job meets the relevant skill and salary requirements and whether their employer can sponsor them.

Health and Care Worker visa applications plunge

Applications from main applicants under the Health and Care Worker route fell to 7,500, down 63 per cent year on year. This was 95 per cent below the peak of 161,700 recorded in the year ending November 2023.

Applications from dependants dropped 36 per cent to 31,000 and were 87 per cent below their peak of 234,000 in the year ending February 2024.

The decline follows changes to immigration rules, increased scrutiny of employers and compliance action in the health and social care sector. The UK has ended overseas recruitment for care workers under the current visa route, although some people already working in eligible care roles can apply to switch visas from within the country until July 2028, subject to the applicable rules.

Student visa applications drop 19 per cent

Applications for sponsored study visas fell to 352,500 in the year ending September 2026, down 19 per cent from the previous year.

Applications from student dependants declined 31 per cent to 15,700. They were 89 per cent below the level recorded in the year ending December 2023, before restrictions took effect on January 1, 2024.

Under the rules, most international students cannot bring dependants. Exceptions include eligible students on certain postgraduate research courses and government-sponsored students who meet the relevant conditions.

Indian students planning to move with a spouse or children should check dependant eligibility before accepting an offer or making relocation arrangements.

Seasonal work visas buck the trend

Not all routes recorded a decline. Applications under the Seasonal Worker route increased 8 per cent to 42,100 in the year ending September 2026. Meanwhile, Youth Mobility Scheme applications fell 5 per cent to 20,700.

Also read: UK study visa applications hit a five-year low as universities face billions in lost economic benefits: Explained

The latest figures indicate lower demand across several major UK work and study routes, but application numbers do not directly measure visa refusals, approvals or the total number of foreign workers and students in the country. For Indian applicants, checking current salary thresholds, eligible occupations, sponsorship conditions and dependant rules remains essential before committing to a job or course in the UK.