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Nurse
Data analysis 26 Feb 2026

Skilled Worker visas in ninth consecutive decline, as fewer nurses, therapists and scientists come to the UK

Restrictions to migrant workers’ rights and successive increases to employer costs have pushed new Skilled Worker visas to 2021 levels, driven by a loss of overseas healthcare, education, and trade professionals.

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Builders
Data analysis 27 Nov 2025

With Skilled Worker visa numbers in decline, what’s the cost?

The number of Skilled Worker visas issued is at its lowest since 2021, but with vacancies in critical sectors unfilled and the risks of labour exploitation still high, we find real human and economic costs behind the politics of lowering numbers.

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Empty Room
Data analysis 21 Aug 2025

International recruitment of care workers has ended, the impact may be disastrous

By ending new international recruitment into care the government will achieve a political aim - reducing immigration. But to believe that it can contemporaneously not harm the adult social care sector is at best naive.

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Fruit Picking
Data analysis 9 Jul 2025

Defra’s survey of seasonal workers demonstrates exploitation risks of short-term, sponsored visas

The prevalence of relocation-linked debts, lack of a viable transfer system between employers, and the absence of an independent grievance mechanism, make the Seasonal Worker visa inherently risky to exploitation.

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Clapping Woman
Data analysis 6 Jun 2025

Less than 4% of exploited care workers found new work, FOI data reveals

Drawing on data obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, we find that just 3.4% of migrant care workers signposted by UKVI for job finding support were successful in getting new work via a government scheme.

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