When Covid-19 struck, the number of visa applications and approvals plummeted. With immigration workloads noticeably diminishing even before the pandemic, the immigration legal sector has had a tough few years.
However, according to the GLP Index, which pulls data from hundreds of data points, immigration law seems to be on the up and up. Based on the GLP Index findings, immigration law is predicted to grow by 8% in 2023. The growth follows a -30% drop in demand in 2020, followed by a 64% growth in demand in 2021, and an 8% continued growth in 2022.
The 8% predicted growth for 2023 can be attributed to a few trends driving change across the immigration law sector. The main trends include an increase in work, student and family visas, plus citizenship and asylum seeker applications.
There has been a steady increase in the number of work visas granted between 2016 and 2021, except for 2020. According to the MOJ Immigration Statistics, only 114,528 work visas were granted in 2020, compared to 192,559 in 2019.
However, in 2021, 239,193 visas were granted - more than double the 2020 numbers and considerably higher than previous years. In the year ending in June 2022, there were 331,233 work-related visas granted - a 72% increase compared to 2019.
The significant growth can be attributed to the introduction of the "Skilled Worker" visa in 2020.
Brexit also increased work visa applications since EEA and Swiss nationals must now apply for entry clearance visas to work in the UK. EEA and Swiss nationals have made up one in ten work visas granted in the latest year
2020 was a challenging year for student visas, with the pandemic causing widespread disruptions to international as well as domestic students. Student visa applications plummeted to 250,121, compared to 404,410 in 2019.
However, the pandemic did not put off international students, and applications skyrocketed to 435,110 visas issued in 2021. The latest figures show 486,868 sponsored study visas granted for the year ending June 2022, a 71% increase from 2019.
Of these visas, 117,965 grants came from Indian nationals (+215% compared to 2019), while 115,056 visas were granted to Chinese nationals (4% lower than the number seen in 2019).
Non-Russell group universities now make up 56% of all confirmation for acceptance for studies (CAS) for student visa applications - the highest proportion since the sponsorship time series began in 2010.
Looking at the latest figures for all visas requiring family sponsorship, UUÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ found that the total number sits at 303,553 visas and permits granted for all family reasons (61% more than in 2019).
The increase is primarily a result of the rise in dependants of people coming on work or study visas and the dependants of the newly introduced British Nationals (Overseas) route.
The family visa statistics show that 42,182 family visas were issued in 2021. Slightly more than in 2020, although markedly shy from 2019's 55,643.
The latest figures for the year ending June 2022 show there were 36,470 family-related visas granted, which is 34% fewer than in 2019. Almost three-quarters (71%) of family-related visas granted in the year ending June 2022 were to partners, with the remainder being for children or other dependents.
Statistics from the MOJ show that British citizenship applications have been relatively steady for the last decade or so, particularly applications from non-EU countries.
In 2021 there were 179,968 applications for British citizenship. For the year ending June 2022, there were 179,963 applications (3% more than in 2019).
However, applications by EU nationals increased noticeably in the build-up to mid-2021. The increase is likely a direct result of EU nationals looking to secure their place in the UK following the UK's exit from the EU. Statistics show that applications by EU nationals accounted for 27% of all citizenship applications in the latest year compared to 12% in 2016.
In total, there were 194,058 grants of British citizenship in the year ending June 2022, 22% more than in 2019.
The number of settlement visas being granted is also on the rise. In 2021, we saw 106,123 settlement visas granted - a stark increase from 2016 figures.
For insight into what's happening with asylum applications, the MOJ statistics provide the following:
In the year ending June 2022, there were 63,089 asylum applications (77% more than in 2019). In 2021, there were 58,532 applications for asylum.
In 2021, the UK offered asylum, humanitarian protection or alternative forms of leave and resettlement to 10,468 people. For the year ending in June 2022, the UK granted 15,684 people asylum visas.
Overall, the effect of Brexit, the introduction of the Skilled Worker visa, the increased demand for student and family visas, plus increased citizenship and settlement applications from EU nationals bodes well for immigration law. Together with an increase in asylum seekers, the demand for the immigration law sector is set to continue growing in 2023.
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