UK Inquiry Tracker

Immigration: Skilled worker visas

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 26 Mar 2025 Closed: 22 Sep 2025 Parliament page

In 2020, following the UK’s exit from the EU, the Government introduced the skilled worker visa route, now the main route for people to apply to work in the UK. The Government aims to use the system to attract the skills the country needs and to support economic growth. The … Read more In 2020, following the UK’s exit from the EU, the Government introduced the skilled worker visa route, now the main route for people to apply to work in the UK. The Government aims to use the system to attract the skills the country needs and to support economic growth. The route was opened to care workers in 2022 following the pandemic, and eligibility requirements were implemented in Spring 2024 as part of attempts to reduce net migration. In 2023-24, 230,500 people applied to enter the UK as skilled workers, raising around £438m for the Government through visa fees. The PAC’s 2011 report on the points-based system designed to manage migration of workers from outside the European Economic Area warned that not enough was being done to protect resident workers and ensure that migrant workers and sponsoring employers complied with immigration rules. The National Audit Office reported on the skilled worker visa route in 2025 . Its report found that the route continues to support employers in recruiting overseas workers, though changes to the route in spring 2024 tightening entry requirements have been made without their impacts on different industries and parts of the country being fully assessed. Based on the NAO’s report, the PAC will hear from senior Home Office officials on subjects including the impact of the spring 2024 changes to the route, progress in bringing the digital elements of the system up-to-date, and how the Home Office ensures compliance within the system. If you have evidence on these issues please submit it here by 23:59 on Thursday 24 April 2025. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. Please note that the Committee’s inquiry cannot assist with individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, you may wish to read the information on Parliament’s website about who you can contact with different issues . Show less

6 Recommendations

34 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

3 Letters

1 Event

Activity timeline 7 events

1 Dec
2025

Correspondence

Letter from the Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office relating to recommendation 6 of the Committee’s Report on Skilled worker visa…

1 Dec
2025

Correspondence

Letter from the Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office and the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care rela…

24 Nov
2025

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office relating to Immigration: Skilled Worker visas – Treasury Minute, 17 Nov…

15 Oct
2025

Report published

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Thirty-seventh report from Session 2024-26

4 Jul
2025

Report published

37th Report - Immigration: Skilled worker visas

8 May
2025

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

8 May
2025

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

8 May 2025

View on parliament.uk

Dame Antonia Romeo DCB · Ministry of Justice Dan Hobbs · Home Office Marc Owen CBE · Home Office Simon Ridley · Home Office

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
37th Report - Immigration: Skilled worker visas	HC 819	4 Jul 2025	40	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 results

13 Conclusion Acknowledged

37th Report - Immigration: Skilled…

Home Office implements measures to address unintended consequences of Skilled Worker visa route usage.

We asked the Home Office what actions it was taking to address some of the unintended consequences of the higher than expected use of the route, such as an 80% increase in people staying permanently in the United Kingdom in … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees with the observation and published an evaluation of the Skilled Worker route, noting migrant motivations and potential issues with salaries, but does not detail new specific actions to address increased permanent stays or asylum claims.

HM Treasury

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19 Recommendation Acknowledged

37th Report - Immigration: Skilled…

Liaise with DHSC to assess domestic workforce plans addressing social care skills shortages.

We highlighted that expanding the Skilled Worker visa route had helped the social care sector to reduce vacancy rates to around 131,000. We were concerned that the Home Office had now turned the tap off and asked what analysis it … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees with the committee's recommendation and commits to writing separately to the Committee regarding the impact of tightened entry requirements. It notes that DHSC already monitors trends in the care workforce and demographics, implicitly addressing the need to understand skills shortages.

HM Treasury

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20 Conclusion Acknowledged

37th Report - Immigration: Skilled…

Government announces closure of care worker visas, ending overseas recruitment for social care.

In the Immigration White Paper, which was published shortly after our evidence session, the government announced that it would end overseas recruitment for social care, closing care worker visas to new applications 40 C&AG’s Report, para 3.19 41 Qq 40, … Read more

Government Response

The government agrees with the committee's conclusion regarding the planned end of overseas recruitment for social care, stating it will write separately on the matter and reiterating that DHSC monitors care workforce trends.

HM Treasury

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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 6 classified

Accepted 25

Acknowledged 3

Deferred 1

Not Addressed 3

Rejected 7

Total 6 recs + 34 conclusions

Correspondence 3 letters

1 Dec 2025 To committee Letter from the Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office relating to recommendation 6 of the Committee’s Report on Skilled worker visas, 21 November 2025

Parliament page

1 Dec 2025 To committee Letter from the Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office and the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care relating to recommendations 2 and 3 of the Committee’s Report on Skilled worker visas, 21 November 2025

Parliament page

24 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office relating to Immigration: Skilled Worker visas – Treasury Minute, 17 November 2025

Parliament page