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Less than one-third of UK work visas have been granted to highly skilled foreign professionals essential to boosting the nation’s economy, according to newly released data. This comes as Downing Street faces criticism over the delay in unveiling its new immigration strategy.
Home Office figures show that out of approximately 560,000 work visas issued over the past four years (up to the end of 2024), fewer than 181,000 were allocated to professionals in sectors identified by the Government as crucial for economic growth. That represents just 32% of total work visas, according to an analysis by business consultancy Centuro Global.
These eight sectors—life sciences, financial services, defence, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, digital and technology, and clean energy—are considered vital for future economic development. However, the data reveals a significant gap between labour market needs and the current visa allocations.
For instance, while the UK is expected to need 133,000 more life sciences professionals by 2030, only 16,000 visas were issued to candidates with relevant expertise during the four-year period. Other sectors also reported serious shortfalls in skilled workers needed to fill critical roles.
The findings have intensified criticism that the UK’s current immigration system is outdated and ineffective. Business leaders and analysts argue that the system does not adequately prioritize sectors essential to the country’s economic future, nor does it provide the flexibility needed to attract top global talent.
The timing of this revelation coincides with delays to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposed immigration reform plan, aimed at reducing net migration and fixing what he has described as a “broken system.” The Government had pledged to release a comprehensive immigration White Paper early this year, but it has now been postponed until after the local elections in May.
The delay is reportedly due to internal disagreements over how to address concerns from business sectors likely to be affected by new U.S. tariffs and tighter immigration rules. Downing Street confirmed the delay, stating that the plan remains a “critical priority.”
“We’ve been very clear that we will take a bold approach to reduce the sky-high levels of migration, which quadrupled under the last government,” the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said on Monday. “This is an ambitious piece of work, and we are committed to restoring order to our immigration system.”
The delay and the lack of focus on high-skilled sectors have prompted business leaders to call for urgent reform. Zain Ali, CEO and co-founder of Centuro Global, described the visa system as “unfit for purpose.”
“The system fails to distinguish between roles essential to our economy and those that could be filled locally,” he said. “Recent findings from the National Audit Office confirm what businesses have been telling us for months: unpredictable visa rule changes make workforce planning nearly impossible. Policies should be based on real labour market needs, not short-term political calculations.”
Ali added that the UK needs “a smarter, growth-focused visa system” that enables access to top-tier global talent while maintaining effective migration control.
In addition, the National Audit Office recently revealed that changes made to the Skilled Worker visa route were introduced without sufficient understanding of their potential impacts. One unintended consequence has been a sharp increase in asylum claims among skilled workers—from just 53 in 2022 to over 5,300 in the first 10 months of 2024.
The NAO also reported that significantly more foreign workers are entering the UK via this route than the Government had originally expected.
These findings come in the context of previous Conservative Government changes that increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas and imposed tougher restrictions on bringing dependents. While designed to cut migration numbers, these changes have made it harder for certain industries to recruit the international talent they need.
A Home Office spokesperson responded by stating: “Under the last government, a large number of visas were granted, pushing net migration into the millions. This government is taking control of the situation.”
They added: “Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will present a detailed plan to restore order to the UK’s immigration system, aligning it with skills and workforce needs to grow the domestic labour pool, reduce dependency on foreign labour, and support economic growth.”
