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Roula Khalaf, the FT’s Editor, chooses her preferred articles for this periodic bulletin.
The United Kingdom’s issuance of employment permits saw a considerable decrease in 2025, providing clear evidence of the effect of more stringent migration regulations. However, the number of individuals seeking refuge showed minimal alteration, as revealed by Home Office figures on Thursday.
Employment-based visas approved decreased to 168,000 during the year ending in December. This represents a reduction of twenty percent from the preceding year and half the volume observed in 2023, a period when the influx of newcomers after Brexit reached its zenith.
This decline primarily stemmed from the termination of an entry path for healthcare support personnel. Approvals for skilled professionals, who are now required to satisfy elevated wage criteria, likewise decreased by one-third compared to 2024.
The count of student permits issued for higher education institutions in the UK remained largely consistent with 2024, standing at 407,000, subsequent to a decline of over 33 percent from 2023.
Applications for refuge decreased by 4 per cent from the year ending December 2024, reaching 101,000. Fifty percent of applicants reached via small vessels. The majority of the remaining individuals were already present in the United Kingdom holding alternative visa categories.
This is an unfolding report