- Only 32% of work visas since 2021 have gone to highly skilled professionals in growth sectors
- Vital industries, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy and defence, are being severely impacted by a failing system
- There was a 32% drop in Skilled Worker visas issued in Q3 2024 compared to the previous year
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–New analysis of Home Office immigration data reveals that just 32% of visas issued for work go to high-skilled professionals in the eight key sectors outlined in the Government’s industrial strategy. This suggests the government could substantially reduce migration while also safeguarding the growth of key businesses.
Zain Ali, CEO and co-founder of Centuro Global, stated: “A smarter, growth-focused visa system is needed to ensure businesses can access top global talent while maintaining control over immigration.”
A raft of restrictions to the Skilled Worker visa in 2024 made it more challenging and expensive to hire through this route. But this measure, targeted at firms using immigration as a hiring strategy of first resort, has created unintended consequences for higher-value recruitment due to problems with the visa’s design.
The Skilled Worker visa route currently caters for a broad selection of high and low-skilled occupations. This means that any restrictions intended to discourage using immigration to fill lower-skilled roles will also hinder high-value firms’ access to genuinely scarce skill sets.
How to Fix the UK’s Broken Visa System from Centuro Global reveals that industries such as engineering, defence, software development, and life sciences are suffering from acute talent shortages, exacerbated by a 32% drop in Skilled Worker visas issued in Q3 2024 compared to the previous year. If left unchecked, these shortfalls could jeopardise national missions like AI, net zero and the future of the City of London.
The report exposes the severe impact of recent skilled worker visa restrictions on businesses and critical industries. The findings show that businesses report significant financial damage, with many struggling to fill key roles due to tightened immigration policies.
Its launch closely follows the announcement from government watchdog, the National Audit Office, that officials do not fully understand the UK Skilled Worker visa, and the Home Office cannot say what the immigration mechanism is contributing to the economy.
Key sector insights from the report include:
- Advanced manufacturing – 55% of firms report skill shortages, but only 10,875 visas were issued for highly specialised roles between 2021 and 2024.
- Clean energy – With a green skills gap of 184,000 workers, visa uptake is far below industry needs.
- Creative and digital industries – A 33% skills shortage, but Skilled Worker visa holders make up just 3.2% of the workforce.
- Financial and professional services – A 160,000-person skill gap, yet only 67,617 visas issued over four years for top-tier roles.
- Life sciences – 133,000 more workers are needed by 2030, but only 16,227 visas issued for highly skilled professionals.
Zain Ali, CEO and co-founder of Centuro Global, stated: “The UK’s visa system is unfit for purpose and fails to differentiate between roles critical to our economy and those that could be filled domestically.
