Official Statistics

Monthly monitoring of entry clearance visa applications

Updated 12 December 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monthly-entry-clearance-visa-applications/monthly-monitoring-of-entry-clearance-visa-applications

Next update due: 9 January 2025

The visa application data in this release provides statistics on numbers of people with an intention to enter the UK for work and study reasons.

On 4 December 2023, the Home Office announced changes to the Immigration Rules and published further details on 21 December. These changes came into effect following updates released on 19 February and 14 March. Policy changes are one of a range of factors that can impact visa applications.

The statistics in this release are provisional. Finalised numbers will be published in the quarterly Home Office Immigration System Statistics.

Work visas

Figure 1: Monthly applications for ‘Skilled Worker’ and ‘Health and Care Worker’ visas, January 2022 to November 2024

Figure 1 shows that monthly numbers of Health and Care Worker visa applications from main applicants increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023, following the addition of care workers to the Shortage Occupation List. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 1,900 in November 2024.

There were 19,300 applications from main applicants between April and November 2024, following the policy changes affecting social care workers and their family members – 83% fewer than the same 8 months in 2023.

Applications for dependants on the Health and Care Worker route increased in-line with main applicants, peaking at 23,300 in August 2023. Applications for dependants have decreased since December 2023, falling to 3,800 in November 2024.

There were 38,600 applications for dependents on the Health and Care route between April and November 2024 – 76% fewer than the same 8 months in 2023.

In contrast, the monthly number of Skilled Worker visa applications from main applicants were broadly stable between January 2022 and March 2024 at around 6,000 applications per month. Applications temporarily increased to 10,100 in April 2024, before reducing again and falling to 4,100 in November 2024.

There were 46,700 applications for Skilled Worker visas from main applicants between April and November 2024 – 3% fewer than the same 8 months in 2023.

Applications for dependants on the Skilled Worker route were broadly in-line with main applicants. There were 39,200 applications between April and November 2024, a 7% increase compared to the same 8 months in 2023.

Study visas

Figure 2: Monthly applications for ‘Sponsored study’ visas, January 2022 to November 2024

The data in Figure 2 shows that applications from Sponsored study visa main applicants in January to November 2024 (372,700) were 16% lower than January to November 2023.

There were 20,400 applications from dependants of students between January and November 2024, 85% fewer than January to November 2023. This followed the rule changes that came into effect in January 2024 which prevent students from bringing dependants, apart from those studying postgraduate research courses or courses with government-funded scholarships.

Policy changes

The changes to Immigration Rules affecting ‘Skilled Worker’, ‘Health and Care Worker’, ‘Sponsored study’ and ‘Partner’ visas are as follows:

Data table

Data on monthly applications for ‘Skilled Worker’, ‘Health and Care Worker’, and ‘Sponsored study’ visas can be found in the following table:

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