Home Office immigration monitoring, to Track Expired Skilled Worker Visas, MPs Warn in 2025

The UK Home Office immigration monitoring is under scrutiny after a cross-party committee of MPs revealed that it has failed to monitor whether skilled foreign workers leave the country once their visas expire. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for urgent reforms to restore public trust and ensure effective enforcement of immigration controls.

Updated on: 9/10/2025

Home Office immigration monitoring, Lacking Basic Oversight

In a damning report published by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), MPs criticised the Home Office for its lack of basic data collection and analysis surrounding the Skilled Worker visa route, which replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa post-Brexit.

Since its launch in December 2020, over 1.18 million applications have been made under the Skilled Worker route. However, the PAC states that the Home Office has not analysed exit checks to determine if these workers have left the UK after their visas expired.

The committee warned that the department continues to rely on airline passenger records, without performing detailed analysis to check departures, a practice unchanged since 2020.

“The department has shown little curiosity about how the route is operating and must set out clear measures to monitor when individuals leave the country,” the PAC said.

“Broken Immigration System” Acknowledged by Government

The Home Office responded by stating it had inherited a broken immigration system and is actively working to restore public trust. A spokesperson highlighted that the previous Conservative government’s decision to relax visa controls contributed to unprecedented net migration levels, with almost one million people arriving in 2023 alone.

The department says it has taken steps to tighten rules, including:

Suspending a record number of sponsor licences for skilled worker visas.
Raising the Skilled Worker visa threshold back to degree level.
Ending overseas recruitment for care workers.

These changes are part of the government’s new Immigration White Paper, which aims to deliver lower net migration, improve workforce skills, and ensure UK job market integrity.

Biometric Monitoring and System Reforms Underway

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper admitted the PAC’s findings were “correct” and conceded that the system “hasn’t been strong enough.” She assured the public that improvements are underway, including the rollout of biometric fingerprint systems in the workplace to verify if individuals are working and residing in the UK legally.

“Change doesn’t happen at the flick of a switch,” Cooper told the BBC, echoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s earlier statements about the need for systemic reform.

The Home Office’s Permanent Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo acknowledged overstaying remains a problem, but said the department is actively working to fix the issue.

Worker Exploitation and Oversight Failures in Care Sector

The PAC report also pointed to “widespread evidence” of worker exploitation under the Skilled Worker visa route, particularly in the health and social care sectors. Many foreign workers have faced:

Debt bondage due to high recruitment fees.
Excessive working hours.
Exploitative employment conditions.

Despite these warnings, the committee says the Home Office has been “slow and ineffective” in tackling abuse, prompting further concerns over the department’s capacity to enforce immigration rules.

Concerns Over Support for Migrant Workers Seeking New Employment

Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, added that there is limited transparency around how the Home Office helps workers find new jobs after visa expiry or job loss.

“Their process doesn’t appear to be hugely effective. I think this will remain a challenge for some time,” she said in an interview with BBC Radio 4.

Policy Shift: Ending Overseas Recruitment for Care Workers

In a significant policy shift, the government announced in May that it would end overseas recruitment for care workers, a route that contributed heavily to rising migration figures after the post-pandemic expansion of the visa route in 2022.

The care sector, once a major driver of skilled worker visas due to chronic shortages, will now be forced to rely on domestic recruitment. This move is intended to curb net migration, but has raised concerns among employers about potential staffing crises.

What’s Next for the UK’s Immigration Strategy?

With public trust in the immigration system at a low point, the current government is pledging decisive action. The upcoming Immigration White Paper aims to:

Introduce more robust visa monitoring mechanisms.
Enforce workplace biometric checks.
Focus on higher-skilled migration that contributes to the UK economy.
Reduce reliance on low-paid overseas labour.

Conclusion

The Home Office faces mounting pressure to modernise its immigration control systems, crack down on exploitation, and restore transparency. The PAC’s findings reveal deep-rooted flaws in tracking and enforcing visa compliance under the Skilled Worker route. As reforms are gradually implemented, all eyes will be on whether the government can strike a balance between meeting labour market needs and ensuring a fair, enforceable immigration policy.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For personalised immigration guidance, please consult an authorised immigration solicitor or adviser.