UK Work and Family Visa Applications Fall After Rule Changes in August 2025

In 2025, the UK changed the world of immigration drastically as the number of visa applications fell drastically in various categories due to the imposition of strict immigration rules. The provisional Home Office data for July 2025 show that the work and family visa routes were hit considerably by the change of policies. In contrast, the study visas have proved to be more resistant.

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Major Immigration Rule Changes Take Effect

This was reflected in the March 2025 UK Nightingale white paper, in which the UK Home Office announced radical reforms to the immigration system, namely, restoring control over the immigration system. These provisions took effect on 22 July 2025 at a fundamental level and changed the scenario about skills and healthcare-based visas.

The new rules are a sign that the Labour government will achieve a net migration cut and regain control over the immigration system, as the last government tolerated unprecedented levels of migration.

Key Policy Changes Implemented

The July 2025 rule modifications caused a couple of essential amendments:

• Increase in Skill Threshold: The present Skilled Worker visas demand that the jobs be of RQF level six, which is a graduate's job level

• Higher Salary Thresholds: The minimum annual salary required under Skilled Worker visas was raised to 41,700 (£) after being at 38,700 (£).

• Care Worker Restrictions: New overseas applicants are no longer able to apply under the Health and Care Worker visa route to care jobs

• Greater Employer Whooping: increasing compliance scrutiny of the employers in the health and social care sectors

Health and Care Worker Visas See Dramatic Decline

The most brutal hit was to Health and Care Worker visa applications, which dropped by 93 per cent from their peak in August 2023. There was a decrease in principal applicants by half, as in August 2023, there were 18,300 applicants, and in July 2025, only 1,300.

This started dropping off in March 2024, motivated by steps by the Home Office to accelerate checks of compliance by employers in health and social care. The figures decreased even more following the spring 2024 policies restricting the number of care staff provided by foreign recruitment.

Dependant applications also exhibited a negative trend that plunged between 23,300 in August 2023 and 4,900 in July 2025. Healthcare professionals fear this may induce personnel inadequacy in hospitals everywhere in the UK.

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Skilled Worker Visas Face Moderate Decline

The Skilled Worker visa applications were more resistant than the healthcare visa, although a significant decline was recorded. Primary applicant levels stabilised between about 6,000 a month in mid-2022, rising temporarily to 10,100 in April 2024, then falling back to 4,900 in July 2025.

The 16 per cent year-on-year drop in the number of principal applicants indicates the influence of an increase in the Bay salary requirements and the skills levels. Nonetheless, the employers have increased workers' wages to comply with the new demands.

Study Visas Show Surprising Resilience

Even though there have been concerns about the effects of the immigration reforms, there is a clear indication of stability in study visa applications. The sponsored study visas main applicant numbers have increased to 428,900 in the year ending July 202,5, falling by just 3 per cent compared to the year before.

The initial quarter of 2025 also projected promising implications, with the growth of study visa placements increasing 32 per cent in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 202This was an increase based on the year-on-year improvements experienced during the final quarter of 2024, indicating a wider stabilisation of the international education sector.

In January 2025-May 2025, 76,400 students submitted applications for a UK study visa, an increase of 29 per cent over similar months in 2024. One of the most significant increases was faced by May alone, which experienced 18,500 applications, an increase of 19 per cent compared to the previous year.

Student Dependant Applications Plummet

Whereas main student applications did not change dramatically, dependent applications dropped by 86 per cent relative to December 2023 to 20,200 by the end of July 2025. This sharp reduction came after a rule change in January 2024, which blocked most students from bringing dependents, with postgraduate researchers or those on government-funded scholarships being the only exceptions.

Family Visa Applications Show Mixed Patterns

There were significant changes in the applications of family visas after changing the income requirements. At the beginning, applications tripled in strength as they escalated to 7,500 in December 2023 and up to 12,700 in April 2024 after the government stated more income needs.

After the implementation in April 2024, the number of applications plunged to 5,100 in June 2024, only to rise steadily to 8,100 in July 2025. The recovery indicates that the families are coping with the new economic needs as time elapses.

Also Read: A Complete Guide to UK Family Visa

Temporary Work Visas Display Mixed Results

The employment category of the work visa was divergent. The number of youth mobility scheme (including India Young Professionals Scheme, where visas have been introduced in February 2023) applications has fallen 10 per cent year-on-year to 22,200 in the 12 months to July 2025.

On the other hand, seasonal worker visas grew 9 per cent annually to 8,600 applications and still fall within the normal distribution of 40,0000 annual applications. Those visas are also conditioned to seasonal agricultural needs that do not have dependancy.

Industry Impact and Future Outlook

The trends in visa application requirements represent the government's general policy to discourage the use of foreign labour and instead contribute to the rise of internal labour. Nonetheless, the concerns of the industry leaders lie in the possibility of a lack of skills, especially in the fields of healthcare and social care.

Dr. Ben Brindle, resident researcher at Migration Observatory, observed that although the immigration policies these days have resulted in steep decreases in some types, some employers in particular sectors are responding to these changes by offering increased salaries to attract desired applicants.

The reforms are consistent with the government's Plan for Change, which aims at creating an immigration regime based on the value of skills, addressing the problem of exploitation, and ensuring a valuable contribution of those arriving in the UK.

Also Read: Most Common Reasons For UK Visa Rejection: Don’t Make These

Conclusion

Applications for UK visas have decreased following the rule changes that have dramatically transformed the immigration scenario, with the most dramatic drop of 93 per cent in the health and care worker visas. The applications for skilled worker and family visas have also declined significantly; however, the study visa has been extraordinarily resilient with minimal declines, and it has shown increasing figures recently at the beginning of 2025. The new immigration regime, which will be in force starting July 2025, is seen as a paradigm shift favouring higher-skilled workers and reducing reliance on foreign hiring in some occupations. Contact TerraTern for more information!