UK visa applications fall 40% in 2025; student dependant visas down 85%

The number of people applying for UK visas has dropped sharply, with new UK Home Office data showing a fall of over one-third compared to last year. From April 2024 to March 2025, 772,200 visa applications were filed, down from 1.24 million during the same period the year before.

 

This represents a 40 per cent decrease in total visa applications, driven by a combination of rule changes and stricter eligibility criteria.

 

Sharp fall in health and care visa applications

 

Applications from health and care workers, once a major contributor to overall visa numbers, have seen one of the steepest declines. Between April 2023 and March 2024, 1,29,600 main applicants filed for the Health and Care Worker visa. This dropped to just 26,600 in the following year — a fall of nearly 80 per cent. Applications from their dependants dropped from 2,29,700 to 54,100, a 76 per cent decrease.

 

Ben Brindle, researcher at the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said the drop was particularly visible in applications from healthcare workers and their families. “From 2023 to 2024, the number of foreigners applying for UK visa applications, including their families, stood at 359,300. This number dropped to 80,700 in the 2024/2025 period,” said Brindle.

 

He said the drop in dependant applications likely reflected recent government restrictions, which now prevent most international students and many workers from bringing family members to the UK.

 

Salary threshold and student restrictions impact visa demand

 

The fall has also been linked to new salary rules introduced for skilled workers. Since 2024, most skilled workers must earn at least £38,700 per year to qualify for a visa. This amount is around €44,506 or $50,639 annually.

 

As reported by the Standard UK, this change has made it harder for many applicants, especially in lower-paying roles, to qualify.

 

Student visas have also taken a hit. Sponsored study visa applications dropped 11 per cent year-on-year. Dependants of students faced even tougher restrictions, with an 85 per cent drop in applications – down from 1,40,000 to 20,300.

 

Visa applications fall across categories

 

Skilled worker main applicants: 61,800 (↓ 15.8%)

Skilled worker dependants: 54,200 (↓ 12.72%)

Health and care worker main applicants: 26,600 (↓ 79.48%)

Health and care worker dependants: 54,100 (↓ 76.45%)

Sponsored study main applicants: 4,17,000 (↓ 10.82%)

Sponsored study dependants: 20,300 (↓ 85.50%)

Seasonal worker: 37,800 (↓ 8.99%)

Youth mobility scheme: 22,200 (↓ 12.33%)

Family visa applicants: 77,000 (↓ 18.59%)

 

Applications drop from India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh

 

The Home Office data shows that fewer people from India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh applied for UK visas last year. All three countries were previously among the top sources of visa applicants. In contrast, applications from China increased, making Chinese nationals the top recipients of study visas.

 

The top five nationalities receiving UK study visas in 2024 were:

 

China: 1,02,940

India: 88,860

Pakistan: 35,045

Nigeria: 18,900

United States: 15,275

 

New compliance rules for international students

 

In May 2024, the UK government introduced a blueprint to tighten student recruitment processes. The proposals were part of a broader strategy to regulate migration via the education route.

 

New measures included:

Stricter compliance standards for institutions recruiting international students  

Mandatory quality checks for recruitment agents  

Higher financial maintenance requirements  

Standardised English language assessments  

Curbs on remote learning and a return to in-person teaching  

 

Despite these changes, the Graduate Route visa remains unchanged. This visa, introduced in July 2021, allows international students to stay and work in the UK for two years after graduation.

 

Indian students continue to form the largest group among non-EU enrollees at UK universities. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows that in the 2022–23 academic year, Indian students made up 26 per cent of all non-EU students. Over the past five years, the number of Indian students in the UK has risen by more than 1.45 lakh.