Blitz Bureau
LONDON: The number of foreign workers and students moving to the UK has fallen by more than a third following a Tory crackdown on immigrants bringing in their dependants.
The number of skilled worker, study, and health and care visas issued dropped by 35.6 per cent from 766,800 to 493,700 in the first eight months of this year compared with the same period last year.
They are the biggest decreases since the pandemic, with the three groups making up the majority of migration to the UK and accounting for a total of 1.13 million visas last year when dependants are added, according to a report by The Telegraph.
The number of dependants fell by 48.9 per cent in the first eight months of this year, from 271,800 to 138,900.
The figures, released by the Home Office, suggest immigration is on course to fall by 300,000 following measures including bans on foreign workers and students bringing dependants and increases in the skilled worker salary threshold from £26,200 to £38,700, and curbing shortage occupation visa schemes.
