UK Visa Applications Drop Below 40% after New Immigration Rules

Segun James

Indications have emerged that the United Kingdom recorded a significant drop in visa applications following the introduction of stricter immigration policies in December 2023 to restrict international students from bringing their dependents.
Official figures released by the Home Office at the weekend showed that the number of visa applications fell from 141,000 to 91,000.
The drop, which translates to over 30 per cent, was recorded after the new rules came into effect in January 2024.
The policy changes restricted international students from bringing dependants unless they were enrolled in postgraduate research courses or government-funded scholarship programmes.

The changes were part of the government’s efforts to curb immigration, which reached a record high of 1.22 million last year.
The impact of these restrictions has been particularly pronounced in the education sector.

Between January and July 2024, study visa applications dropped by 16 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.
More significantly, there was an 81 per cent decline in visa applications from the dependants of students, reflecting the sharp effect of the new rules.
The healthcare sector has also been severely affected, with applications for Health and Care Worker visas plummeting by 80 per cent during the same period.
This followed a surge in applications aftercare workers were added to the skilled worker visa category in 2022.

However, the trend reversed after August 2023, with the number of applications falling to just 2,900 in July 2024.
“Monthly numbers of Health and Care Worker visa applications from main applicants increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023, following the addition of care workers to the skilled worker visa. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 2,900 in July 2024,” the report said.

Ogun Says EFCC’s Invitation Not Linked to Ex-LG Chair’s Petition

The Ogun State Government yesterday stated that the invitation of its officials to the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday was not connected to a petition allegedly filed by Wale Adedayo, a former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, who was removed from office over allegations of financial misappropriation.
The government clarified that contrary to claims made by certain media outlets, the officials were not summoned over any alleged diversion of local government funds.

This clarification was provided in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the State Governor, Hon. Kayode Akinmade.
Akinmade stated that the government officials were not presented with any petition from Adedayo, saying, “The EFCC, being a responsible body, would have provided them with the petition if it were truly the basis for their invitation.”

The statement further read, “Ordinarily, there would be no reason to respond to the antics of a known provocateur and rabble-rouser, who has made salacious, evidence-free allegations against Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration, with the intent to sow discord among the people and destabilise Ogun State.
“While we continue to respect media organisations as partners in progress, we categorically state that the report in question is nothing but fake news and should be disregarded.

“As with officials from other state governments, Ogun State officials are not exempt from invitations by anti-graft agencies if clarification on any matter is needed. It is reassuring that the EFCC confirmed our officials, as law-abiding citizens, honoured the invitation and have since returned to their duties.
“It is, however, a complete fabrication to claim that they were invited due to a petition by Wale Adedayo.”

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this development in a phone conversation with our correspondent on Wednesday.
Oyewale said, “I just called our Ibadan Zonal office and it was confirmed that some officials of the state government were invited for a chat in respect of an ongoing investigation and they have since returned to their state. Nobody was also detained.”
Adedayo, however, claimed that the invitation was in connection with the petition sent to the EFCC regarding allegations of the diversion of about N10.8 billion meant for the development of the 20 local governments.
He said: “Yes, I heard about it on Tuesday. I am sure it is about the petition I sent to the EFCC. Lies can travel a thousand miles, but the truth wil