UK Issues Record Number Of Work Visas To Fill Staff Shortages: The official figures show that around 321,000 visas were issued for migrants working in the UK until June. Employers are currently facing ongoing labor shortages and are consequently seeking to recruit from overseas.
The Home Office data highlights the UK’s continued dependence on foreign workers even two and a half years after the post-Brexit immigration regime was introduced.
The number of work visas issued has increased by 45% compared to the previous year. Over a third of the total visas, 121,290, were for the “health and care” sector.
It shows a 157% rise from the previous year as the UK continues to struggle to meet the staffing requirements of the National Health Service and care providers. Indian and Nigerian residents accounted for the largest share of visas.
Due to over a million job vacancies remaining unfilled, the government has widened the shortage occupation list within its visa exemption system to ease bringing workers into the country.
But the increasing number of migrants has caused a political dilemma for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, considering the Conservative government’s commitment to managing Britain’s borders following the 2016 referendum that set the UK on a path out of the European Union.
In 2022, there was a record-breaking net migration of 606,000 individuals. However, it’s important to note that the Home Office visa figures don’t provide a direct comparison as they cover short-term workers and exclude emigration.
The rise in migration can be attributed to increased student visas, with foreign student numbers rising by 23% to 498,626 in the year leading up to June. The majority of this increase was due to Indian and Chinese nationals.
The number of dependent visas granted to family members of workers and students has almost doubled to 372,000 in the latest figures. Workers brought in 218,000 dependents, while students brought in 154,000.
It brings the total number of visas granted to foreign workers and students, including dependents, to 1.2 million in the year to June. It is an increase from 820,000 visas granted a year earlier.
To reduce these numbers, the Home Office plans only to allow international students to bring their families with them if they are enrolled in postgraduate courses designated as research programs.
Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, a pressure group, commented on these figures stating, “These are damning figures and a stark reminder of the scale of the government’s failure to control, let alone facilitate, immigration.” He also thinks the public will consider these numbers for the next election.
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Source:- economictimes.indiatimes.com
