Written question asked by Shivani Raja (Conservative) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 16 July 2026. It was answered by Mike Tapp (Labour) on Thursday, 16 July 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Visas: Skilled Workers

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Skilled Worker visas have been granted since 2024 to applicants sponsored by takeaway and restaurant businesses; and what assessment she has made of the occupations for which those visas were issued, the types of establishments sponsoring them, and the skills shortages they were intended to address.

Answer: The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Our Immigration White Paper, published last year, set out how we are reducing reliance on international workers and encouraging investment in the domestic workforce. In July 2025, we raised the Skilled Worker threshold to graduate-level occupations, meaning more than 100 occupations are no longer eligible, including restaurant managers and chefs.

Secondary information