How UK migration rules have changed

Official figures show that 728,000 people came to the UK in the year to June 2024 – fewer than in the previous 12-months.

The fall was greater than expected because the estimated number of people who came in the year to June 2023 has been revised up sharply, to 906,000.

Net migration – the number of people coming to the UK, minus the number leaving – was 728,000 in the year to June 2024. The provisional figures are from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), external.

That is a 20% drop from the number of people who came in the 12 months to June 2023. The newly revised total for that period was 906,000, far higher than the previous estimate of 740,000.

The ONS estimates that 1.2 million people expecting to stay at least a year came to the UK in the year to June 2024. It estimates that 479,000 left the UK.

Of the 1.2 million people who came to live in the UK in the 12 months to June 2024:

Of the 1.0 million non-EU+ nationals who came:

Among non-EU+ migrants, the most common nationality coming to the UK for both work-related (116,000) and study-related (127,000) reasons was Indian.

According to Home Office figures, 432,225 student visas were issued, external in the year ending June 2024.

That’s 13% fewer than in the previous 12-month period.

In the year ending June 2024 94,253 visas were issued to student dependants, 39% fewer than the previous year.

Since January 2024, international postgraduate students have not been able bring dependants unless their course is a research programme.

Students who have already completed their degree can stay in the UK for two years – three years for those with a doctoral degree – to work under a graduate visa., external

Most people wanting to work in the UK still have to apply for a visa through the points-based system (PBS)., external

But since 11 April 2024, they have needed a job offer with a higher salary.

Applicants have to earn at least £38,700 – an increase of nearly 50% from the previous £26,200 minimum.

The threshold does not apply to some jobs – such as in health and social care, and teachers on national pay scales.

Announcing the new rules, the-then Home Secretary James Cleverly claimed that 300,000 people who were eligible to come to the UK in 2022 would no longer qualify.

At the time, groups including the CBI and the Royal College of Nursing criticised the changes for failing to address the UK’s labour shortages.

You need a family visa if you want to live with a relative who is a British citizen, or someone who has the right to be in the UK, external for more than six months.

The Home Office figures showed that 84,403 family related visas were granted, external in the year ending June 2024, an increase of 12% from the previous 12-month period.

You can apply to live with your:

You have to demonstrate a good knowledge of English. The relative that you will live with in the UK has to meet the minimum income threshold.

This was initially due to rise to £38,700 – a sharp increase from the previous £18,600 figure.

But after warnings the new rules risked separating families, the previous government dropped the new minimum to £29,000, external.

Anyone renewing an existing family visa does not have to meet the new earnings threshold.

The Home Office statistics showed that 89,095 visas were issued to people coming to the UK to work in health and social care, external in the 12 months to June 2024.

This is a fall of 26% compared to the previous 12 months.

In the year ending June 2024, there were approximately two dependents for each person coming to do a job in health and social care.

However, the number of dependents fell sharply in the last three months of the period, after the previous Conservative government changed the rules to stop international social care workers bringing their children or partners with them.

Applicants need 70 points to qualify for a skilled worker visa., external This can last for up to five years before it needs to be extended.

You get 50 points from having a job offer above a minimum skill level, and speaking English., external

The remaining 20 points can come from a higher salary, working in a sector with job shortages, or having a relevant PhD.

The standard fee for a skilled visa is usually between £719 and £1,639, depending on your circumstances.

Visa applicants also have to pay a healthcare surcharge for each year of their stay., external

The amount can vary – but since April 2024, the standard fee has been £1,035 per year, up from £624.

The immigration salary list, external replaced what was previously called the shortage occupation list.

It helps employers fill vacancies in key sectors.

These jobs have a lower salary threshold making it easier for applicants to gain enough points to get a visa.

The list includes:

Employers used to be able to pay foreign workers 80% of the usual “going rate” to fill these positions.

But this lower rate was abolished for people applying after 4 April 2024.

Temporary workers such as fruit pickers and poultry workers are covered by seasonal worker visas, external, subject to an annual quota.

In 2024, the quota was 47,000, external:

Seasonal workers can stay in the UK for up to six months for horticultural work, and from 2 October to 31 December each year for poultry work.

They cannot accept a permanent job or bring family members with them.

An application costs £298.

Workers must be paid the relevant national minimum wage.

Three-quarters (76%) of the seasonal workers who came to the UK in the year to June 2024 were from Central Asian countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, external.

Before Brexit, EU and UK citizens had the freedom to live, work or study in any EU country without needing a visa.

However, this freedom of movement ended on 1 January 2021 when the UK left the EU.

In the 12 months to June 2024, net migration of non-EU nationals – the difference between those arriving and those leaving – was 845,000.

In the same period, net EU migration was -95,000, meaning 95,000 more EU nationals left the UK than arrived.

Net migration of British nationals was -21,000, meaning more British people left the UK than came back.