Number of UK Visa Grants Continues to Fall

28.08.2025

The number of UK visa applications continues to decline, with data from the Home Office showing a drop in applications for the year ending June 2025. In the preceding 12 months, 852,000 visas were issued for reasons other than visits.

These figures reveal a further decrease across major UK visa categories, including work, study, and family visas. This trend reflects the ongoing tightening of the UK’s immigration rules over the past year.

During the year ending June 2025, the number of UK work visa applications dropped by more than a third (36%), totaling 183,000 main applicant grants. This decline is largely due to significant reductions in visas issued under both the Health and Care and Skilled Worker routes.

The number of ‘Health and Care Worker’ visas issued to main applicants fell by 77% in this period. Dependants of these workers also saw a 77% decrease.

Grants to main applicants under other routes in the ‘Worker’ category (including ‘Skilled Worker’ visas) decreased by 38%, while grants to dependants fell by 25%. The largest reductions among main applicants were in Food Preparation and Hospitality Trades, which saw a decline of 9,374 (-81%) to 2,168 visas. Visas issued to IT Professionals also continued to decline, down 3,084 (-23%) to 10,231 in the same period.

Interestingly, grants of extensions of stay in the UK via work routes increased by 23% compared to the previous year. This rise aligns with the surge in work visa grants observed in 2022 and 2023, as many individuals who initially entered on work visas are now eligible and opting to extend their stay.

Sponsored study grants

Sponsored study visa grants have decreased over the past two years, primarily due to a decline in dependants of students. In the year ending June 2025, there were 431,725 sponsored study visas issued—an 18% reduction from the previous year but still 52% higher than in 2019. This included 413,921 main applicants, which is 4% fewer than in the year ending June 2024, and 17,804 dependants—an 81% decrease from the previous year.

During the same period, 35,181 main applicants received extensions to their UK study visas, allowing them to continue their studies or switch to a sponsored study route. These figures are broadly similar to those from the previous year.

The decline in visa issuance from 2024 is largely attributed to a policy change effective from 1 January 2024, which restricts dependants to research-based postgraduate students only. This change has particularly impacted dependants (partners and children) and may have also influenced the number of main applicant visas granted, which decreased but to a lesser extent.

Family visa grants declined in the latest year, following increases between 2021 and 2024. This decrease is largely due to a drop in Partner visas.

In the year ending June 2025, 70,961 family visas were granted—a 15% decrease compared to the previous year. Partner visa grants fell by 27% to 42,251, reflecting a recent decline in applications. The increase in the Minimum Income Requirement is likely a factor, making it more difficult for sponsors and applicants to meet the higher financial thresholds.

Additionally, 126,600 extensions of stay for family reasons were granted during this period, representing an 8% increase from the previous year but a 6% decrease from the peak in 2022, when 135,288 extensions were granted.

These trends align with the government’s ongoing legislative approach to restrict the use of migrant workers in the UK economy. HR professionals should remain vigilant to evolving policies that may impact talent acquisition and retention strategies.

Agreeing with this assessment, David Hugkulstone, Director at Smith Stone Walters added: ‘The on-going tightening of the UK immigration routes underscores the importance for employers to stay informed and adaptable. Proactive planning and a thorough understanding of current visa regulations are essential to maintaining a competitive edge in talent acquisition.’

A better way to manage global immigration

Smith Stone Walters is now part of Envoy Global. With a presence in over 15 countries and capabilities worldwide, Envoy Global delivers a complete range of services required to manage immigration and business visas for a global workforce.

If your organisation requires guidance on UK immigration compliance, visa sponsorship, or navigating recent policy changes, please contact Smith Stone Walters for expert assistance.