Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the decision has been taken not to publish the annual number of immigration entry clearance visas granted to (1) licensed sponsoring employers, and (2) educational establishments, in the UK.

I am sorry but we cannot publish the annual number of immigration entry clearance visas granted to licensed sponsors and educational establishments in the UK due to commercial sensitivity, data protection and costs.

Entry clearance visas are not granted to sponsoring employers or sponsoring educational establishments, but to individuals. Information relating to individual sponsors would be commercially sensitive and could inadvertently disclose individuals. Further, releasing such information could cause commercial damage to the sponsoring organisation.

Matching data between licensed organisations and individuals recorded on case working systems overseas and in the UK is not automatic and would incur disproportionate cost. However total numbers of entry clearance visas granted under Tiers 2, 4 and 5 are already published as part of the regular quarterly Immigration statistics available from the .GOV.UK website.