100-fold increase in skilled worker visa holders claiming asylum in UK

THOUSANDS of migrants who arrived in the UK on skilled worker visas have claimed asylum in an attempt to stay in the country, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The spending watchdog revealed that asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders increased from 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in the first ten months of 2024.

The NAO attributed this rise to changes in visa rules made by the Home Office without full impact assessments.

The report also found that the number of skilled workers applying for permanent residency rose by 80 per cent, reaching 44,000 in 2024 compared to 25,000 in 2021.

Meanwhile, dependants accompanying skilled workers increased from 55,200 in 2021 to 254,100 in 2023, a rise of 360 per cent.

The Home Office has not tracked how many skilled workers left the UK after their visas expired. An analysis showed that 23 per cent of foreign skilled workers still had a valid visa four years after issuance, while 15 per cent had obtained indefinite leave to remain.

However, for the remaining 62 per cent, the Home Office did not know whether they had left the UK.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: “The Home Office and departments must make better use of data to understand the impacts of changes to the Skilled Worker visa route, improve customer experiences and prevent the exploitation of visa holders.”

The route, introduced in 2020, underwent significant policy changes, including relaxed entry requirements for care workers in 2022 to address staffing shortages.

However, rules were later tightened, including a ban on dependants, as part of the government's efforts to reduce net migration.

The NAO called for a full evaluation of the skilled worker visa route, recommending the findings be published within three months and a review of visa expirations to be completed by the end of 2025.