London, March 30, 2025 – The UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has launched a Call for Evidence to scrutinize the Skilled Worker Visa system, a cornerstone of the country’s immigration framework, as the government pushes forward with plans to reduce net migration. The inquiry, announced this week, seeks input from workers, employers, and experts to assess the system’s effectiveness following significant changes rolled out in spring 2024.
The PAC’s move comes on the heels of a 2025 National Audit Office (NAO) report, which flagged concerns over the Home Office’s hasty implementation of visa reforms without fully evaluating their impact on industries and regions. These reforms, part of a broader strategy to tighten immigration controls, include stricter entry requirements and a controversial ban on care workers bringing dependants. With over 230,000 visa applications processed in 2024, the stakes are high for sectors like healthcare and social care, which heavily rely on migrant labor.
The inquiry will zero in on several critical areas: the real-world effects of the 2024 changes, progress on digitizing the visa process, and compliance with immigration rules. The NAO report criticized the lack of foresight in assessing how tightened regulations—such as requiring care providers in England to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)—would ripple through the economy. While transitional provisions allow existing care workers to remain with non-CQC-registered employers, these providers can no longer hire new staff unless they meet the new standards.
“We need to understand if this system is delivering for workers, employers, and the UK as a whole,” a PAC spokesperson said. The committee is particularly keen to hear from those on the front lines—skilled workers navigating the visa process, businesses facing staffing shortages, and immigration advisors grappling with the new rules.
The call is open to a wide range of voices, including healthcare professionals, care sector representatives, and advocacy groups. However, the PAC has made it clear it won’t intervene in individual visa disputes, focusing instead on policy-level insights. Submissions, which must be original and not previously published online, are due by April 24, 2025, via the UK Parliament website.
The 2024 changes have sparked debate. While the ban on dependants for care workers aims to curb migration numbers, critics argue it could deter talent from filling critical roles. Transitional rules offer some relief—existing workers can stay, extend their visas, and even bring dependants if they arrived pre-reform—but the long-term impact remains uncertain.
This inquiry marks a pivotal moment for UK immigration policy. With the PAC revisiting concerns first raised in its 2011 report about the points-based system’s balance between protecting resident workers and meeting employer needs, the findings could shape the future of skilled migration. As industries brace for potential labor shortages, the evidence gathered over the next month may well determine whether the Skilled Worker Visa system bends or breaks under the weight of the government’s immigration reduction agenda.