Over 150,000 migrants vanished from the British government’s radar, exposing a chaotic immigration system. These individuals, who entered legally on social care visas, are now unaccounted for, leaving taxpayers to wonder about border control.
Breitbart reported that in 2022, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s immigration overhaul welcomed 154,402 social care workers with five-year visas. This “Boriswave” aimed to fill labor gaps but left the government clueless about whether these migrants stayed, left, or switched visas.
It’s a bureaucratic blunder that screams incompetence. The Home Office admits its data system wasn’t built to track these visa holders long-term.
Labour MP Stephen Kinnock confessed the government “does not hold data” linking visa status to employment or residency. That’s a polite way of saying they’ve got no idea where these people are.
Kinnock’s excuse doesn’t inspire confidence; it highlights a system designed to fail. If you can’t track 150,000 people, how can you claim control over borders? This isn’t just a clerical error—it’s a policy disaster that undermines public trust.
The social care visa route, part of Johnson’s “skilled worker” plan, fueled a migrant surge. Many arrived as family members of care workers until a 2023 ban on chain migration slammed the brakes. Visa numbers plummeted from 107,772 in 2023 to 9,539 in 2024, proving the ban’s impact.
By 2024, the government scrapped the social care visa route entirely. But the damage was done—150,000 people slipped through the cracks.
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called it a government that “lost control” of Britain’s borders.
Philp’s blunt assessment hits the mark: losing track of 150,000 migrants isn’t a glitch; it’s a catastrophe. He demands swift action to deport those breaching visa conditions. His call for lower immigration levels resonates with a public fed up with excuses.
Protests erupted across the UK in recent weeks, signaling widespread frustration with mass migration. The government’s failure to monitor these migrants only pours fuel on the fire. People want accountability, not more bureaucratic shrugs.
A 2020 National Audit Office report warned the government had “no idea” how many illegal migrants were in Britain.
Five years later, the same problem festers, now with 150,000 more question marks. This isn’t progress; it’s a rerun of failure.
The Home Office blames Labour’s inherited data system, claiming it wasn’t designed to track visa holders’ long-term outcomes. That’s a convenient dodge, but it doesn’t absolve years of neglect. A system this broken demands a complete overhaul, not more finger-pointing.
Kinnock doubled down, saying it’s “not possible to estimate” how many social care visa holders remain in the UK or the sector.
His candor is refreshing, but it’s a damning admission of systemic rot. Brits deserve better than a government that can’t count its guests.
Johnson’s reforms were sold as a solution to post-Brexit labor shortages. Instead, they created a free-for-all with no oversight, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for potential overstays. The progressive push for open borders backfired here.
Philp’s demand to “bring immigration levels down significantly” echoes a growing conservative chorus. The public isn’t anti-immigrant; they’re anti-chaos. A government that can’t track legal migrants has no business preaching about fairness or control.
The chain migration ban and visa route closure show that policy can shift when the will exists. But closing the barn door after 150,000 horses bolted isn’t enough. Real reform means tracking every visa holder and enforcing the rules without apology.
