According to Home Office new figures, the number of foreign workers and students moving to the United Kingdom has dropped by about 30% this year.
The decline from 121,000 to 85,200 in the first five months of this year is consistent with both the Conservative and Labour parties’ pledges to limit net migration.
This is the largest reduction since the pandemic, with skilled workers, students, and health and care visa holders making up the majority of migration to the UK.
Last year, these three groups received a total of 1.13 million visas, including those for dependents.
According to the Telegraph, the reduction is mostly due to government initiatives such as restrictions on foreign workers and students bringing dependents, higher salary thresholds for skilled workers, and curbs on the shortage of occupation visa schemes.
According to the figures, net migration for the year ending December 2023 is 685,000, down from a record high of 764,000 the previous year.
The Conservative government intends to reduce immigration by 300,000 people, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promising to “halve” migration and cut it further each year if re-elected.
Labour’s manifesto likewise commits to curb net migration, though no target or timescale has been set. The party proposes linking training to immigration by requiring sectors that apply for foreign worker visas to first train British citizens.
Home Secretary James Cleverly attributed the decline to his actions, stating, “I took action to drive down legal migration.
“Data released this week show visa applications have dropped 30 per cent amongst key routes. Labour opposed these actions at every opportunity. If you want to reduce migration, vote Conservative on 4th July,” he said in a tweet on his X handle.
The Migration Advisory Committee chairman, Prof Brian Bell, believes the Prime Minister has a “fighting chance” of reducing net migration to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.
The figures indicate a significant drop in visa applications across various categories, including a 25.4 per cent overall decrease in visas for foreign workers, students, and their dependants.
The number of dependents brought in by students fell by nearly 80 per cent, while health and care worker visa applications decreased by 75.6 per cent.
This development comes ahead of the July 4 election, with immigration policy playing a crucial role in the campaigns of both major parties.