The UK Government has recently released the latest UK immigration statistics, offering a detailed snapshot of immigration activities in the year ending September 2024. These statistics, published on 28 November 2024, provide valuable insights into various immigration categories, including work, study, family, humanitarian routes, and irregular arrivals. Below, we summarise the key findings and trends.
Work Visas
The year ending September 2024 saw 241,719 work visas granted to main applicants across all work categories. While this represents a 28% decrease from the previous year, it is still a 76% increase compared to 2019, reflecting long-term growth in this area.
Key points include:
- Health and Care Worker Visas: Only 50,591 visas were granted, a significant 65% drop from the previous year.
- Temporary Worker Visas: These increased by 7% compared to last year, with 77,719 visas issued. This figure is almost double the number issued in 2019, largely due to the growth of the Seasonal Worker visa route.
- Extensions into UK work routes also grew by 35%, led by increases in the Graduate, Health and Care Worker, and Skilled Worker routes.
Study Visas
In the same period, 392,969 sponsored study visas were granted, a 19% decrease from the previous year but 46% higher than in 2019. Notably, nearly two-thirds of these visas were for master’s level courses. Additionally, visas for dependants of students dropped dramatically. Falling by 84% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Family Visas
There has been a steady increase in family-related visas, with 86,940 visas granted in the year ending September 2024. This is a 7% rise from the previous year. Partner visa grants have driven this growth despite a 12% decline in the latest year.
Humanitarian Routes
Safe and legal humanitarian routes accounted for 89,250 grants of leave during this period, reflecting a 19% decrease from the previous year. This reduction is primarily due to a drop in visas and extensions granted under the Ukraine Schemes.
Irregular Arrivals
Irregular arrivals, including small boat crossings, saw a decline:
- 36,949 irregular arrivals were detected, an 18% decrease from the previous year.
- Small boat arrivals accounted for 81% of irregular arrivals, with 29,851 arrivals recorded, a 21% reduction compared to the previous year.
Settlement and Citizenship
The number of individuals granted settlement or citizenship in the UK has reached record levels:
- 147,053 people were granted settlement, marking the highest level in 11 years and a 33% increase from the previous year.
- 268,481 individuals were granted citizenship, the highest number since the time series began, driven significantly by grants to non-EU nationals.
Key Takeaways
These statistics demonstrate dynamic changes in the UK’s immigration landscape. Thus highlighting long-term growth in key areas such as work and settlement routes while reflecting reductions in areas like humanitarian visas and irregular arrivals.
Need Assistance?
If you are considering applying for a visa or exploring your eligibility under any of these categories, Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants is here to help. Our expert team can guide you through the process to ensure a seamless experience.
For further details, refer to the official UK Government publication: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-september-2024/summary-of-latest-statistics.
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