Connect with us

News

Number of work visas to foreign nationals plunged drastically, says UK Home Office

Published

on

The number of visas issued to foreign nationals entering the UK for work, study, family, or humanitarian purposes has fallen sharply.

According to new data by the UK Home Office, 834,977 entry visas were granted in the year to June 2025 across these categories, down nearly a third (32 percent ) from 1.23 million in the previous 12 months.

The data shows that work-related visas saw the steepest decline, plunging 48 percent from 545,855 to 286,071.

Study visas dropped by 18 percent, falling from 530,312 to 435,891, while family visas decreased by 15 percent, from 83,912 to 70,961.

Among humanitarian and resettlement categories, 14,216 visas were issued under the Ukraine schemes (down 48 percent year-on-year), 11,804 to British National Overseas (BNO) status holders from Hong Kong (down 47 percent), and 9,357 under the EU Settlement Scheme (down 34 percent).

Additionally, 3,640 visas were granted to dependants joining or accompanying others, while 3,037 were issued under other settlement schemes.

The overall total is the lowest for any 12 months since the year to September 2021, when 802,415 visas were issued.

The sharp decline follows changes to legal migration rules introduced early last year by the previous conservative government.

These included restrictions on most international students bringing family members to the UK and a ban on overseas care workers bringing dependants.

Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said the government’s actions have been key to “restoring order” to the immigration system.

“We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous government left in chaos,” she said.

“Since coming to office, we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns, as today’s figures show.

“The action we have taken in the last 12 months — increasing returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30 percent, cutting asylum costs by 11 percent, reducing the backlog by 18 percent and our forthcoming plans to overhaul the failing asylum appeal system — are crucial steps to restoring order and putting an end to the chaotic use of asylum hotels that we inherited from the previous government.

“At the same time, we are bringing legal migration back under control, with a 48 percent reduction in work visas this year — and further stronger visa controls and higher skill requirements introduced through our White Paper expected to bring those overall numbers down further.”

 

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Metro

Dangote Cement, FRSC strengthen partnership for road safety in Ogun

Published

on

By Monire-Oluwa Lucas

Efforts aimed at further enhancing road safety in Ogun State received a boost following fresh collaborative engagement between the Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant and the State Sector Command for safer road use and general safety advocacy.

Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant reaffirmed its commitment to promoting safer roads and strengthening stakeholder collaboration as it received the newly deployed Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, and members of his management team on a courtesy visit to the plant.

Speaking during the engagement, Ogunjobi commended Dangote Cement for its consistent support to the FRSC and its contribution to road safety initiatives over the years pointing out that the company has established itself as one of the Corps’ most reliable corporate partners through its commitment to safety and responsible transportation practices.

He said: “Dangote Cement has remained a dependable partner of the Federal Road Safety Corps over the years, and we deeply appreciate the support we have continued to receive from the company. As an organisation with extensive logistics and transportation operations, Dangote Cement understands the importance of safety on our roads. This shared commitment provides a strong foundation for even greater collaboration between our two institutions.”

The Sector Commander emphasised that promoting a culture of safety requires continuous engagement with stakeholders, particularly organisations that operate large fleets of vehicles and professional drivers.

“Road safety is not the responsibility of FRSC alone. It requires collective action from government agencies, private sector organisations, transport operators, and road users. We believe there is significant potential for us to work more closely with Dangote Cement in driving safety awareness and improving compliance with road traffic regulations,” he stated.

As part of the proposed areas of cooperation, Ogunjobi advocated the establishment of an FRSC Special Marshal Unit within the Ibese Plant, noting that the initiative would strengthen safety consciousness among employees and drivers.

“We would like to see the establishment of an in-plant FRSC Special Marshal Unit that will serve as a platform for promoting road safety advocacy and best practices among staff and transport operators. Such a unit will support specialized driver training programmes, regular sensitisation sessions, and proactive safety campaigns aimed at reducing road crashes,” he said.

He further assured the company of the Corps’ readiness to provide technical support through continuous engagement, capacity building and safety enlightenment initiatives that will ultimately benefit not just the company but all road users across the state.
Responding, the Plant Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese, Ayyagri Subbaraidu, described the FRSC as a critical stakeholder in the company’s operations and commended the Corps for its dedication to preserving lives on Nigerian roads. He assured that safety remains a central pillar of Dangote Cement’s operational philosophy and long-term growth strategy.
“The Federal Road Safety Corps plays a strategic role in our operations because transportation is a vital component of our business. We therefore recognise and appreciate the tremendous work being done by the Corps in ensuring safer roads and protecting lives,” Subbaraidu said.

He explained that the company’s Vision 2030 places strong emphasis on responsible operations, sustainability, and stakeholder collaboration, making road safety an important priority.

“Dangote Vision 2030 clearly highlights the need for stronger partnerships with key stakeholders such as the FRSC. Safety is not merely a regulatory requirement for us; it is a core value that guides how we operate every day,” he stated.

“Our commitment goes beyond the movement of products. We are committed to ensuring that our drivers, contractors, employees and every road user interacting with our operations do so in the safest possible environment.”

Continue Reading

News

Washington attack: US orders review of all Green Cards from 19 countries

Published

on

The United States government has announced a sweeping review of all Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries, following Wednesday’s attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
The Trump administration disclosed the move on Thursday after authorities identified the detained suspect as a 29-year-old Afghan national who had previously worked with American forces in Afghanistan.
According to AfghanEvac, an organisation involved in the resettlement of Afghans after the 2021 Taliban takeover, the suspect was granted asylum in April 2025, not permanent residency.
In a statement on X, the Director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Joseph Edlow, said, “I have directed a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”
The order had earlier banned nearly all nationals from 12 of those countries, including Afghanistan, from entering the United States.
Here is a full list of countries under the travel ban:
Countries with Full Travel Ban (12)
1. Afghanistan
2. Myanmar
3. Chad
4. Congo-Brazzaville
5. Equatorial Guinea
6. Eritrea
7. Haiti
8. Iran
9. Libya
10. Somalia
11. Sudan
12. Yemen

Countries with Partial Ban (7)
1. Burundi
2. Cuba
3. Laos
4. Sierra Leone
5. Togo
6. Turkmenistan
7. Venezuela

Continue Reading

News

EFCC summons ex-AGF Malami

Published

on

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, for questioning.
Malami served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Malami announced the development on his Facebook page on Friday, confirming that he had received a formal invitation from the anti-graft agency.
“I would like to inform my family and friends that I have been summoned by the EFCC to provide clarification on certain matters, and as a law-abiding and patriotic citizen, I am determined to honour this invitation without any hesitation,” he wrote.
The former minister reiterated his commitment to the principles of honesty, integrity, and accountability, which he said guided his years in public service.
“I believe in the importance of honesty, integrity, and accountability in governance; these are principles that I have long supported and upheld over the years of my public service,” he added.
Malami also stated that he would keep Nigerians informed of any developments that may arise from the invitation.

Continue Reading

Trending