Skilled Worker and Family Visa Applications Fall Sharply, Home Office Data Shows
16 Aug 2026
The Home Office has published its monthly entry clearance visa statistics, and the numbers show a sharp drop in two of the main routes to settlement. For the year ending July 2026, there were 28,000 Skilled Worker main applicant applications, a 43% decrease compared with the year ending July 2025.
Family visa applications also fell. There were 66,400 Family visa applications in the year ending July 2026, down 15% from 78,500 the year before. The Home Office links part of this fall to a pause on new applications for Refugee Family Reunion visas that started in September 2025, which saw monthly applications on that route drop from 8,400 to 5,100 by July 2026.
If you're on a Skilled Worker or Family visa working toward ILR, this data doesn't change your own timeline or eligibility. It simply reflects fewer people applying overall, likely a result of the salary threshold and English language changes introduced over the past year. It's still worth knowing the wider picture as you plan your own application and renewal dates.
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