Government uses credit cards to pay for skilled worker visas

TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

'credit cards'

SUMMARY

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Whitehall’s largest employer, has spent £213,000 on government credit cards to extend skilled worker visas for 250 foreign staff between January and July 2025, despite Labour’s pledge to reduce net migration. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised a “substantial” drop in net migration by 2029, criticizing sectors “almost addicted to importing cheap labour.” The DWP’s visa extensions, compliant with Whitehall spending rules, contrast with Labour’s scrutiny of government procurement card misuse, previously flagged for frivolous spending by Conservatives.

The expenditure has sparked criticism.