The United Kingdom faces a stark admission from its own government: it has lost track of over 150,000 migrants who entered legally but may now be living in the shadows.

In the wake of Brexit, promises of controlled borders rang loud, yet the reality is a system in disarray, with no record of whether these individuals remain in the country, legally or otherwise.

The British government has acknowledged it has no data on the whereabouts of 154,402 migrants who entered the UK on social care visas since February 2022, raising concerns about a surge in illegal immigration.

The admission, detailed in a statement to Parliament by Care Minister Stephen Kinnock, reveals a significant gap in tracking those who arrived under a post-Brexit immigration policy initiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The policy, part of a 2022 liberalization of immigration rules, added care staff to the "skilled worker" visa route to address shortages in the social care sector.

It allowed migrants to secure five-year visas if employed by a Home Office-approved employer.

The program saw a peak of 107,772 visas issued in 2023, but numbers plummeted to 9,539 in 2024 after the Conservative government banned care visa holders from bringing family members, effectively curbing chain migration.

The social care visa route was discontinued earlier this year.

Kinnock, the Labour MP for Aberafan Maesteg, told Parliament, "The department does not hold data that directly links visa status to ongoing employment in adult social care or residence in the United Kingdom over time. As such, it is not possible to estimate the number or proportion of individuals who entered the UK on a social care work visa and who are still in the UK or working in the social care sector. Individuals may cease working in the sector for a variety of reasons, for example, to return to their country of origin or to switch to another immigration route."

The lack of oversight has ignited condemnation of globalism and governmental failure.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, a Conservative MP, blasted the Labour government over the illegal immigration crisis.

"The revelation that the Labour Government has lost track of those who came here on a social care visa is shocking. This is further evidence of Labour chaos. They have lost control of our borders," Philp warns.

"We need to bring the levels of immigration down significantly and swiftly remove anyone who is breaching the conditions of their visa," he continued. "The only way to do this is to have a binding annual cap on visas, set by Parliament at much lower levels than we have seen in recent years. We tabled this proposal in Parliament just a few weeks ago, yet Labour voted against it."

The Home Office, the lead government department for crime, the police, drugs policy, immigration and passports in the, and counter terrorism in the UK, deflected some responsibility to the previous Conservative government.

"This route, which we closed with our Immigration White Paper, was opened under the previous government. We also inherited a data system which was not designed to monitor the long-term outcomes of health and care visa holders – including whether they remain in Britain or continue working in the social care sector," the Home Office said in a statement to The Telegraph.

"The number of people who have been returned from this country is up by 11% since the election, including those who have overstayed their visa," the British governmet agency continued. "A comprehensive plan has been set out in the Immigration White Paper to bring greater order to our system by reducing reliance on overseas labour."

The revelation comes amid growing public unrest, with protests erupting across the UK in recent weeks over mass migration.

A 2020 National Audit Office report previously admitted the government had "no idea" how many illegal immigrants were residing in the country, underscoring a long-standing issue of inadequate immigration tracking.

The failure to monitor visa holders, combined with the absence of a cap on migration—first rejected by Johnson’s government and recently opposed by Labour—has exacerbated the crisis.

The British government faces tough questions: How do you lose track of 150,000 people? And what does it mean for a nation already grappling with public anger over immigration?

The answers, so far, are few, and the blame is being passed like a hot potato between political parties. But one thing is clear: the UK’s borders are porous, its systems are flawed, and the public’s patience is wearing thin.

A YouGov poll conducted in early August 2025 reveals that 45 percent of Britons support a complete halt to new immigration and mass deportations of recent arrivals, driven by anger over viral footage of asylum seekers in taxpayer-funded accommodations and perceptions of economic strain.

The poll found 93 percent support deporting small boat arrivals, 85 percent back removing migrants without valid work visas, and 91 percent want those claiming benefits expelled.