The home secretary may propose cutting migration to show that she is listening. But in ageing countries where migrant workers are concentrated in key sectors such as health and construction, the fallout is very real. In Britain, visas for overseas nurses have fallen by 93%, from 26,100 in 2022 to 1,777 in 2025. Care worker visas are down 97% over the same period. Social care providers are struggling to recruit; construction firms warn of delays; universities compete globally for talent. Clearly, imposing sudden restrictions would have consequences beyond the raw numbers.