Skilled Worker visa applications fall by 39% in a year – Home Office

The number of Skilled Worker visa applications has fallen by 39% over the past year, according to provisional Home Office figures.

The latest statistics, covering the year to June 2026, showed there were 30,400 Skilled Worker visa applications from main applicants, down from 50,000 in the previous year.

Applications from dependants also declined, falling 20% year-on-year from 49,100 to 39,500.

The Health and Care Worker visa route also continued its downward trend.

Lynsey Blyth, partner and head of immigration at Michelmores LLP, said the figures suggested the UK’s immigration system had shifted “from a volume-based immigration system to a selection-based immigration system”.

She added: “For years, employers could often look to international recruitment as a relatively quick solution to persistent labour shortages.

“That option is becoming increasingly restricted. Businesses are now being forced to think much more strategically about workforce planning, skills development and how they access global talent.

“The Government’s reforms appear to be achieving their objective of reducing lower-skilled migration, but that does not mean the UK’s immigration challenges have been solved.