Migration Observatory flags care worker visas in latest immigration statistics

Article summary

The Migration Observatory (MO) at the University of Oxford has reported on the Home Office statistics pertaining to entry into the UK and noted that the decision to make care workers eligible for the skilled work visa route has driven a substantial increase in the number of long-term visas being granted. The MO has reported that Home Office data shows that Health and Care visas make up 64% of main applicants in the ‘Skilled Worker Route’, with the majority of these being care workers. Senior Researcher at the MO, Dr Peter William Walsh, has stated that despite political debate being 'hyper-focused on small boats', these only account for 41% of asylum claims. The MO has argued that the Home Office data suggests that the Prime Minister's pledge to clear the ‘legacy backlog’ by the end of 2023 is not currently on target. The MO has suggested that in order to reduce the...