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Migrant workers are still bringing in family members at a ratio as high as 15 for every worker despite new restrictions, according to Home Office figures.
Just 12 health and care workers from Cameroon sponsored a total of 180 family members to join them in Britain in the year to March, in statistics branded “shocking” by the Conservatives.
Ghanaian health and care workers brought on average more than eight family members, known as dependants, in the same period, as 2,131 joined only 257 workers.
Bangladeshis brought on average more than five dependants (139 workers joined by 747 family members), and Indians more than four (2,395 joined by 10,504).
The Home Office barred care workers from bringing family members in March 2024, and last year it extended the ban to all migrant workers unless they had a job at degree level or above.
However, those who were already here before the restrictions were introduced can still bring dependants to the UK.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has used the figures to announce a new Conservative policy that would extend the ban on dependants to care workers already in the country.
He said: “These shocking figures show far too many family members, including the family of people working in kebab shops and vape stores, are being let into the UK. The number of dependants is unacceptably high, the burden of supporting them all too often falls on the British taxpayer. Worker visas should not be a route to let in thousands more family members. It is an abuse of the system.
“Far too many people entered the UK on social care visas and the previous Conservative government [was] right to put a stop to it. But today’s revelations show those already here on social care visas are still bringing in large numbers [of] dependants. This must be urgently stopped.
“Social care workers already here should not be able to receive new visas for new dependants. We have seen hundreds of thousands of dependants of care workers come here, more than the number of actual care workers, and this must now urgently stop.”
There were also high ratios among migrant worker groups more generally. A total of 1,029 skilled worker visas were issued to Pakistanis, who brought in 6,155 dependants — six for every worker. Nigerians had nearly five times as many dependants as main applicants — 1,114 family members joining 230 workers on skilled worker visas.
Members of UNISON rally at Parliament Square with signs supporting "Fair Visas" for migrant health and social care workers.
Unison members have called for fairer visas for health and social care workers
The average ratio was 1.3 dependants for every worker. Europeans issued with skilled worker visas brought in significantly less than one family member each. French workers were one of the main European recipients of such visas and in the last year 1,804 workers brought in 701 family members — a ratio of 0.4 for each worker.
Research by the migration advisory committee, which advises the Home Office on immigration policy, found that migrants arriving on skilled worker visas — including health and care workers — were more likely to stay in Britain than previously. Some 85 per cent of migrants who arrived in 2019 stayed for at least five years, compared with 74 per cent of those who arrived in 2014.
Most migrants granted right to stay under ECHR are unemployed
Migrants from wealthier countries are less likely to stay long term, while those from Africa, southern Asia and non-EU European countries had the highest rates of long-term stay.
The higher “stay rates” have increased the likelihood of migrant workers obtaining indefinite leave to remain, which grants the right for foreign workers to live, work, study and claim benefits in Britain permanently.
This has been one of the factors that has led the government to announce new “earned settlement” rules that will double the time it takes to qualify for settlement from five to ten years, with opportunities for migrants to “earn” settlement earlier if they work in public sector roles, highly paid jobs or contribute to society through volunteering.
However, the government is under pressure to drop plans to apply the new rules to an estimated 1.6 million migrants already in the UK.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood speaking at a podium during an Eid reception.
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, is considering a range of “transitional arrangements” which could soften the impact of the changes on migrants already here, including an option to exempt hundreds of thousands of care workers.
The Home Office said: “We have taken significant action to reduce the number of dependants joining workers in the UK, steps which have contributed to overall net migration falling by 82 per cent in just three years.
“This has included restricting dependants for all occupations below degree-level, increasing language requirements and ending overseas recruitment for care workers.
“Visa numbers for foreign workers are down 50 per cent from their peak in 2023 as these reforms take effect, and we will double the route to settlement from five to ten years, ensuring it is earned through contribution and integration.”
)Migrant workers are still bringing in family members at a ratio as high as 15 for every worker despite new restrictions, according to Home Office figures.
Just 12 health and care workers from Cameroon sponsored a total of 180 family members to join them in Britain in the year to March, in statistics branded “shocking” by the Conservatives.
Ghanaian health and care workers brought on average more than eight family members, known as dependants, in the same period, as 2,131 joined only 257 workers.
Bangladeshis brought on average more than five dependants (139 workers joined by 747 family members), and Indians more than four (2,395 joined by 10,504).
The Home Office barred care workers from bringing family members in March 2024, and last year it extended the ban to all migrant workers unless they had a job at degree level or above.
However, those who were already here before the restrictions were introduced can still bring dependants to the UK.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has used the figures to announce a new Conservative policy that would extend the ban on dependants to care workers already in the country.
He said: “These shocking figures show far too many family members, including the family of people working in kebab shops and vape stores, are being let into the UK. The number of dependants is unacceptably high, the burden of supporting them all too often falls on the British taxpayer. Worker visas should not be a route to let in thousands more family members. It is an abuse of the system.
“Far too many people entered the UK on social care visas and the previous Conservative government [was] right to put a stop to it. But today’s revelations show those already here on social care visas are still bringing in large numbers [of] dependants. This must be urgently stopped.
“Social care workers already here should not be able to receive new visas for new dependants. We have seen hundreds of thousands of dependants of care workers come here, more than the number of actual care workers, and this must now urgently stop.”
There were also high ratios among migrant worker groups more generally. A total of 1,029 skilled worker visas were issued to Pakistanis, who brought in 6,155 dependants — six for every worker. Nigerians had nearly five times as many dependants as main applicants — 1,114 family members joining 230 workers on skilled worker visas.
Members of UNISON rally at Parliament Square with signs supporting "Fair Visas" for migrant health and social care workers.
Unison members have called for fairer visas for health and social care workers
The average ratio was 1.3 dependants for every worker. Europeans issued with skilled worker visas brought in significantly less than one family member each. French workers were one of the main European recipients of such visas and in the last year 1,804 workers brought in 701 family members — a ratio of 0.4 for each worker.
Research by the migration advisory committee, which advises the Home Office on immigration policy, found that migrants arriving on skilled worker visas — including health and care workers — were more likely to stay in Britain than previously. Some 85 per cent of migrants who arrived in 2019 stayed for at least five years, compared with 74 per cent of those who arrived in 2014.
Most migrants granted right to stay under ECHR are unemployed
Migrants from wealthier countries are less likely to stay long term, while those from Africa, southern Asia and non-EU European countries had the highest rates of long-term stay.
The higher “stay rates” have increased the likelihood of migrant workers obtaining indefinite leave to remain, which grants the right for foreign workers to live, work, study and claim benefits in Britain permanently.
This has been one of the factors that has led the government to announce new “earned settlement” rules that will double the time it takes to qualify for settlement from five to ten years, with opportunities for migrants to “earn” settlement earlier if they work in public sector roles, highly paid jobs or contribute to society through volunteering.
However, the government is under pressure to drop plans to apply the new rules to an estimated 1.6 million migrants already in the UK.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood speaking at a podium during an Eid reception.
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, is considering a range of “transitional arrangements” which could soften the impact of the changes on migrants already here, including an option to exempt hundreds of thousands of care workers.
The Home Office said: “We have taken significant action to reduce the number of dependants joining workers in the UK, steps which have contributed to overall net migration falling by 82 per cent in just three years.
“This has included restricting dependants for all occupations below degree-level, increasing language requirements and ending overseas recruitment for care workers.
“Visa numbers for foreign workers are down 50 per cent from their peak in 2023 as these reforms take effect, and we will double the route to settlement from five to ten years, ensuring it is earned through contribution and integration.”
