BRIEFING Work visas and migrant workers in the UK AUTHORS: Madeleine Sumption Ben Brindle PUBLISHED: 30/08/2024 www.migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk BRIEFING: Work visas and migrant workers in the UK This briefing examines labour migration and work visas in the UK immigration system, before and after the implementation of the post-Brexit immigration system. [...] Possible explanations for this decline include the fall in the value of the pound, reducing the value of money earned in the UK compared to other EU countries; uncertainty about the UK’s political or social environment for EU citizens after Brexit; and the fact EU migration had been unusually high in the pre- referendum period and thus might be expected to have fallen anyway. [...] The European Union published a proposal to negotiate a YMS with the UK in early 2024, which was rejected by the both the Conservative government at the time and the Labour opposition. [...] For more information on the role of migration in the UK’s health and care sector, see the Migration Observatory briefing Migration and the health and care workforce. [...] The use of the ONS statistical data in this work does not imply the endorsement of the ONS in relation to the interpretation or analysis of the statistical data.
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Table of Contents
- AUTHORS Madeleine Sumption 1
- Ben Brindle 1
- PUBLISHED 30082024 1
- BRIEFING 2
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 2
- Key Points 2
- The health and social care sector accounted for over 60 of Skilled Worker visa grants in the year ending March 2024 and was largely shielded from 2024 increases in salary thresholds. 2
- There is widespread qualitative evidence of exploitation of migrant workers. The risks are higher when migrants visas are tied to their employers or where their work is low-paid or isolated. 2
- Since free movement ended take-up of the post-Brexit immigration system was low among EU citizens who made up only 7 of work visa grants in 2023. 2
- Indian citizens were the largest recipients of work visas in 2023 followed by citizens of Nigeria. 2
- BRIEFING 3
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 3
- Understanding the evidence 3
- BRIEFING 4
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 4
- BRIEFING 5
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 5
- Understanding the policy 5
- BRIEFING 6
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 6
- The source of work-related migration has changed since the Brexit referendum 6
- BRIEFING 7
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 7
- BRIEFING 8
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 8
- Non-EU work-related migration grew strongly between 2021 and 2023 but fell sharply in the first half of 2024 8
- BRIEFING 9
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 9
- BRIEFING 10
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 10
- The health sector accounted for over 60 of Skilled Worker visas in the year ending March 2024 10
- BRIEFING 11
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 11
- BRIEFING 12
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 12
- There is widespread qualitative evidence of migrant exploitation 12
- BRIEFING 13
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 13
- Some non-EU international students stay on to work after their studies 13
- BRIEFING 14
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 14
- EU citizens demand for work visas has been low since the post-Brexit immigration system came into force 14
- BRIEFING 15
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 15
- In the past most non-EU citizens on work visas left the UK within 5 years but this varies by specific visa type 15
- BRIEFING 16
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 16
- Indian citizens were the largest recipients of work visas in 2023 followed by Nigerian citizens 16
- BRIEFING 17
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 17
- Evidence gaps and limitations 17
- BRIEFING 18
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 18
- Acknowledgements 18
- References 18
- BRIEFING 19
- Work visas and migrant workers in the UK 19
- The Migration Observatory 19
- About the authors 19
- COMPAS 19
- Press contact 19
- Recommended citation 19
