# UK Immigration: How the Points-Based System Works

> The UK's points-based immigration system replaced EU free movement after Brexit. Here is how it works, who can come and what the numbers show.

*Section: News — By James Whittaker (SME Finance Writer) — Published December 14, 2025 — 1 min read*

Canonical URL: https://dailyjunction.org/news/uk-immigration-how-it-works
Tags: immigration, uk, points based system, visa, brexit

## Key takeaways

- The points-based system requires overseas nationals to meet criteria on salary, skills and English language
- Healthcare and social care workers are among the largest visa categories — the NHS depends heavily on international recruitment
- Net migration to the UK reached a record 745,000 in 2022, driven largely by non-EU nationals
- The student visa route is one of the largest immigration pathways, with Indian and Nigerian nationals the largest groups

## The post-Brexit framework

Following the end of EU freedom of movement after Brexit, the UK introduced a points-based immigration system for all overseas nationals (including EU citizens, who previously had an automatic right to work and live in the UK). The system assigns points for meeting specific criteria: a job offer from an approved sponsor, meeting minimum salary thresholds, English language requirements, and a role on the skills shortage list.

## Visa categories

The main visa categories include: the Skilled Worker visa (for those with a qualifying job offer, the largest route), the Health and Care Worker visa (a fast-track version for NHS and social care workers), the Student visa (for those accepted by an approved university or college), and the Graduate visa (allowing graduates to remain and work in the UK for two to three years after completing their studies). Family visas allow spouses, children and parents to join qualifying people in the UK.

## The numbers

UK net migration reached a record high of approximately 745,000 in 2022, driven primarily by non-EU nationals, notably from India, Nigeria, Pakistan and China. The growth in student visas was a significant driver, as was the expansion of health and care worker recruitment. The government has introduced successive measures to reduce net migration — increasing salary thresholds, restricting student dependants — with limited effect on the total.

## The policy tension

Immigration policy in the UK involves a structural tension: public concern about high migration levels sits alongside the genuine labour market dependence of the NHS, social care, agriculture, hospitality and construction sectors on overseas workers. Meeting reduced net migration targets while sustaining NHS and social care staffing requires either significant pay increases in those sectors to attract domestic workers or accepting higher migration for specific occupations.

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## Sources

- [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com)
- [Associated Press](https://apnews.com)

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