London, United Kingdom. The number of work visas issued by Britain in the year to December 2025 fell by 19% from the previous year, government data showed on Thursday, reflecting the impact of tighter visa rules.
Work visa figures
The data showed 168,000 work visas were issued in 2025, down 19% on 2024 and 50% on 2023. The decline included a halving of visas issued in the health and care sector and a 36% fall in other skilled worker visas.
Political context and migration policy
Successive governments have sought tighter controls on visas to limit legal migration, and to take action to stop immigrants arriving illegally by small boats and to deport those who enter by such means. The Labour government is trailing Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in opinion polls, placing Prime Minister Keir Starmer under pressure on migration.
Net migration trend
The work visa decline continued a trend previously reported by the Office for National Statistics, which said long-term net migration to Britain fell by more than two-thirds in the year to June.
Illegal arrivals, asylum claims and removals
There were 46,497 detected arrivals via illegal routes, up 7%, with 89% arriving in small boats. Asylum claims totalled 100,625, down 4% from the previous year. Forced removals rose 21% to 9,900.
How do you think the decline in work visas will affect Britain’s labour market?