UK visa crackdown: Indian worker applications fall 18%, care visas down 93%

UK visa Updates: Indian Skilled Worker and student visa applications to the UK have plunged, with Health and Care Worker visas dropping over 90% since 2023

Immigration policy changes in the United Kingdom have sharply reduced applications from Indian students and workers, with some visa categories collapsing by more than 90 per cent. The overall numbers for all nationalities show similar downward pressure, but India — previously the single largest contributor — has been the most affected.

 

Here’s the breakdown of UK visa application fall:

 

• Skilled Worker visas fell 18 per cent by July 2025

 

• Health and Care Worker visas dropped 93 per cent between August 2023 and July 2025

 

• Dependants of Health and Care Workers declined 79 per cent by July 2025

 

• Sponsored study visas (main applicants) fell 3 per cent in the year ending July 2025

 

• Student dependants dropped 86 per cent between December 2023 and July 2025

 

• Youth Mobility Scheme fell 10 per cent in the year ending July 2025

 

Skilled Worker visas

 

Applications for Skilled Worker visas from Indian nationals, which averaged around 6,000 per month until 2024, slipped to 4,900 in July 2025. That is an 18 per cent fall.

 

Overall Skilled Worker applications, covering all countries, also slowed. Monthly numbers had briefly risen to 10,100 in April 2024, before settling back to an average of 6,000 and then dropping to 4,900 in July 2025.

 

Dependants of Indian Skilled Worker applicants followed the same trend, reaching 5,300 in July 2025.

 

Health and Care Worker visas

 

The Health and Care Worker route has seen the steepest decline.

 

• Indian main applicants peaked at 18,300 in August 2023 but fell to just 1,300 in July 2025 — a 93 per cent collapse.

• Dependants from India dropped from 23,300 to 4,900 over the same period, down nearly 79 per cent.

 

Across all nationalities, the pattern was broadly similar. Total monthly Health and Care Worker visas rose from 4,100 in February 2022 to 18,300 in August 2023, but then fell sharply as compliance checks and new restrictions were introduced in Spring 2024. By July 2025, only 1,300 were issued. Dependants also decreased to 4,900, a fraction of the 2023 level.

 

Indian students and total study visas

 

The new rules that came into effect in January 2024 have reshaped student migration.

 

• Sponsored study visa applications from Indian main applicants stood at 428,900 in the year ending July 2025, 3 per cent lower than the previous year.

• Indian student dependants fell from 143,600 in the year ending December 2023 to 20,200 in the year ending July 2025, a sharp 86 per cent drop.

 

Total applications for sponsored study visas across all countries also fell 3 per cent year-on-year, showing that while global demand eased slightly, the impact on Indian students was sharper because of the dependant restrictions.

 

Family visas

 

Family visa applications across all nationalities increased from 7,500 in December 2023 to 12,700 in April 2024 following the announcement of higher income thresholds. After the new rule came into effect, applications dropped to 5,100 in June 2024 before gradually climbing back to 8,100 in July 2025.

 

For Indian applicants, the same pattern was observed, with July 2025 numbers below April 2024 but higher than December 2023.

 

Temporary work routes

 

Temporary routes show a mix of falls and rises.

 

• Youth Mobility Scheme applications across all nationalities fell 10 per cent to 22,200 in the year ending July 2025. This included India under the India Young Professionals Scheme, which held its first ballot in 2023.

• Seasonal Worker visas increased 9 per cent to 38,600 in the same period, though numbers remain capped by the annual quota of 30,000–40,000.

 

New immigration rules

 

On July 22, 2025, the UK government rolled out new measures under its Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules. These changes target the Skilled Worker route, which is the main pathway for migrant professionals.

 

The key changes are:

 

Skill level: All jobs must now be at RQF Level 6 (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree), unless on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List.

Salary thresholds: For Skilled Worker visas, the minimum has risen from £38,700 to £41,700. For Health and Care Workers, the minimum remains £25,000.

Care workers: Overseas recruitment for new applicants has ended. Those already working in care roles in the UK can continue to switch visas in-country until July 2028.