Labour’s plan to cut immigration numbers includes halting the arrival of overseas care workers and reducing the number of study visas.
But analysis by The i Paper of official figures shows existing reforms – implemented by the Conservative government – were already reducing visa numbers for care workers, students and dependants.
It suggests Labour is spotlighting areas where the Government knows it could be seen to be winning, rather than focusing on more difficult issues such as small boat arrivals.
Experts say Labour are “doubling down” on Rishi Sunak’s policies. The affected sectors say they are already fragile following the Tories’ reforms, and that Labour’s plans were “kicking us while we’re down”.
The previous Conservative Government’s immigration crackdown in early 2024 has already caused sharp falls across various types of applications, including for health and care workers.
Care chiefs confirmed it had cut the number of foreign staff the sector was able to recruit, adding that Starmer’s “nightmare” plan will make widespread staff shortages even worse and lead to more care home being shut down.
Health and social care visa applications had surged in the aftermath of Brexit, when care workers were added to the shortage occupation list to help the sector adapt to the turmoil of leaving the EU.
The number of monthly health and care visas increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023.
But Rishi Sunak’s restrictions in early 2024 saw health and care visas drop down to 2,400 a month by March 2024, remaining around this level ever since.
The Tories hiked minimum salary thresholds for care workers. And care staff were no longer eligible to bring their partners and children.
Overall, the were 23,200 applications for health and care visas between April 2024 and January 2025 – 81 per cent fewer than the same period the previous year.
Labour’s Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said overseas recruitment for care worker visas will be stopped altogether – though care homes will be able to extend existing visas.
The Government has promised a fair pay agreement for care staff in a bid to make the job more attractive to British workers.
But sector chiefs fear it could take years to implement. They warned Labour was removing the “lifeline” of overseas staff without fixing the problems that might make it easier to recruit UK employees.
Care England’s chief executive Martin Green, called the Government’s “cruel” plans “a crushing blow to an already fragile sector”.
He added: “The Government is kicking us while we’re already down.”
International student drop threatens universities
Labour’s immigration white paper has plans for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students.
The ability for graduates to stay in the UK after their studies will be cut from two years to 18 months, a new levy on income universities generate from international students could be introduced.
But higher education experts pointed to a decline in international students – warning that tightening up rules further would worsen universities’ funding crisis and see some institutions close.
The University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady has warned that further barriers to international students could “lead to universities going under”.
There were 422,200 sponsored study visas from overseas applicants in the year ending April 2025 – 10 per cent lower than the previous year.
And there were 19,500 applications from dependants of international students in the year up to April 2025 – 87 per cent fewer than the year ending December 2023.
It follows rule changes made by the Tories which prevented most students from bringing dependants, other than those on post-grade research courses or scholarships.
Labour’s plans will also see overseas workers need a degree-level qualification for a skilled work visa. The immigration skills charge, paid by firms sponsoring a migrant worker, will be hiked by 32 per cent.
Crackdown sees fall in family members
Official data shows the number of skilled worker and family visas have already fallen since Sunak’s immigration crackdown saw salary thresholds increased and the list of jobs overseas workers could be sponsored for cut down.
The number of skilled worker visa applications decreased from 10,100 in April 2024 to 3,500 applications in April 2025.
And the number of family visas dropped dramatically from 12,700 in April 2024 to 6,900 the following months, remaining around that level ever since.
Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King’s College London, said Labour plans were a “continuation” of Tory reforms, aimed at pushing declining visa numbers down further.
“They’ve chosen to double down. It will reduce migration further in a way that is quite possible quite damaging economically. It’s certainly going to damage the university sector.”
Professor Portes also accused Starmer of “damaging and divisive rhetoric” that played into the hands of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
The Migration Observatory at Oxford University said Labour were “completing the process of rolling back” visa numbers started under the Tories.
“It’s likely it will have a negative impact on numbers, but we don’t know how big. It takes the downward trend and likely reinforces it with added restrictions,” said researcher Mihnea Cuibus.
The UK’s social care workforce will be cut by 7,000 a year as a result of the Labour’s changes, according to analysis set out in the white paper. There were 131,000 vacancies in the care sector last year, official estimates show.
Scottish Care accused Starmer of “naïve politicking” and warned that the “nightmare” halt on overseas care worker visas would force care homes to shut.
Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive, told The i Paper: “It will inevitably lead to organisations who will not be able to get staff and will go to the wall.”
Amy Clark, commercial director of a Cornwall care home chain, told the BBC Radio 4’s Today that losing overseas staff would be a “big problem” and “recruiting locally is very, very difficult”.
Clark said it was “increasingly difficult” to pay higher than the minimum wage, partly because of the “pitiful” social care funding from councils.
The Government has been approached for comment.
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