Thinking about moving to the UK? You're not alone—but fewer people are applying these days. According to the latest data from the UK Home Office, visa applications dropped by 37% in the year leading up to March 2025. That’s 772,200 applications, compared to nearly 1.24 million in the previous 12-month period.

So, what’s behind this sharp decline? A combination of tougher immigration rules introduced in early 2024 and rising salary thresholds for work visas seems to be the main driver. The government’s aim? To cut net migration and reduce overall numbers.

Major UK Visa Categories Hit by Decline

The drop spans across major visa routes, including work visas, family visas, and student visas. In particular, categories like the Health and Care Worker visa, Skilled Worker visa, and Student visa for dependants saw some of the biggest changes.

Here’s a closer look at how each category was impacted:

Health and Care Worker Visas: Down by 78%

This was one of the hardest-hit areas. Applications from overseas health and care workers and their families fell from 359,300 to just 80,700 in a single year—a massive 78% drop.

That plunge came after the UK government banned care workers from bringing dependants with them, which had previously been a major draw for international applicants.

The shift reflects both fewer job vacancies in the care sector and increased scrutiny of potential exploitation in care-related roles.

Skilled Worker Visas: A Moderate Decline

The Skilled Worker visa—one of the most popular routes for professionals coming to the UK—also saw a dip, though not as dramatic.

Main applicants: Down by 16%

Dependants: Down by 13%

Interestingly, the fall wasn’t as sharp as expected. Experts believe this may be because some UK employers chose to increase salaries to meet the new minimum threshold of £38,700, rather than giving up on hiring skilled international talent altogether.

Student Visas and Family Members: Major Cutbacks

The UK’s education sector also felt the impact. The number of student visa applications fell slightly, by 11%, but it was the dependants of students who were hit hardest.

Student dependants: Down a staggering 83%

That’s thanks to a rule change in January 2024 which banned most international students from bringing family members, unless they were on postgraduate research programmes or receiving government scholarships.

Why the UK Is Seeing Fewer Visa Applications

Dr. Ben Brindle from the Migration Observatory at Oxford University points to one main factor: the previous government’s tougher immigration rules.

“The sharp fall in visa applications is directly linked to the policy changes,” he explains. “Health and care workers, students, and especially their families are now facing far more barriers.”

Still, he notes that despite the drop, visa numbers remain higher than pre-Brexit levels, especially among non-EU applicants.

Where to Get the Latest UK Visa Statistics

If you're interested in diving into the data yourself, the UK Home Office regularly publishes immigration statistics. You can find monthly and quarterly breakdowns of visa approvals, refusals, and processing times for work, study, and family categories.

These updates give valuable insight into how immigration trends are shifting and what it could mean for future applicants.