LONDON - The UK government has welcomed a "significant decline" in the number of overseas students accompanying dependents or close family members such as spouses and children following a crackdown on student visas earlier this year.
In an update released on Tuesday from January to March this year compared to the same period in 2023, the Home Office said there had been a huge drop of almost 80 per cent in dependents amid more than 26,000 fewer student visa applications.
Indians have led the way in international student visa cases in recent years and figures suggest that fewer Indian students will be choosing UK universities due to the decline seen earlier this year.
Under rules effective from January, most international students cannot bring along family members except on research courses. They can no longer switch their visas before completing their course, the government claims as a “backdoor” to work in the UK amid wider Home Office pressure on institutions “selling immigration not education”. Student visa has been misused.US Home Secretary James Cleverley said, "The ever-increasing numbers are eroding the British people's confidence in your immigration system, placing a burden on public services and driving down wages."
“When I promised to make the biggest ever reduction in legal migration, I knew we also had to work to show the impact of our action as quickly as practical. This data will be needed before our first measures take effect. But the numbers show a significant decline.” “outlining why necessary action was taken to reduce the unsustainable number of dependents of care workers,” he said.
The minister said there was still more to come in the government's plans to "cut migration" led by Prime Minister Rish Sunak.According to official data from February, the number of Indians getting study visas increased by 85,849 between 2019 and 2023 – the highest ever group of international students in the UK. However, the 1,20,110 study visas granted to Indian nationals in 2023 were 14 per cent lower than in 2022 – indicating a decline amid already stringent visa norms.
The government's review of the post-study graduate route, which allows foreign students to seek work and gain experience for up to two years after a degree, is widely expected to further restrict the options for international students in the UK when The Independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will submit its report later this month.
Experts believe that more Indians will turn away from applying to US universities after this visa route has topped the list since its launch in 2021.
Among other measures, a ban on foreign care workers bringing dependents came into force on March 11 – the Home Office said the impact of this was expected to become clear in future data.While doctors and nurses are able to bring family members closer, the stringent measures are aimed at cracking down on exploitation and abuse of workers within the social care sector.
The Home Office said, "There is clear evidence that care workers have been offered visas under false pretenses, recruited into non-existent jobs or paid well below the minimum wage required for their work British workers have been exploited."
This week's data also includes the last data before the general salary range for people arriving on skilled worker visas increased from GBP 26,200 t GBP 38,700 earlier this month. Overall, the Home Office says its visa action will mean that around 300,000 people who came to Britain last year will no longer be able to come.
Reducing legal and illegal migration is one of the Sunak-Ley government's priorities ahead of general elections in the second half of the year.The latest figures come as the government sent its first failed asylum seeker to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme. Which offers 3,000 GB to illegal immigrants to voluntarily relocate to the East African country.
A mandatory deportation scheme for illegal immigrants is also expected to be implemented soon after the controversial Rwanda Security Bill was passed by Parliament and became an Act this month.
In an update released on Tuesday from January to March this year compared to the same period in 2023, the Home Office said there had been a huge drop of almost 80 per cent in dependents amid more than 26,000 fewer student visa applications.
Indians have led the way in international student visa cases in recent years and figures suggest that fewer Indian students will be choosing UK universities due to the decline seen earlier this year.
Under rules effective from January, most international students cannot bring along family members except on research courses. They can no longer switch their visas before completing their course, the government claims as a “backdoor” to work in the UK amid wider Home Office pressure on institutions “selling immigration not education”. Student visa has been misused.US Home Secretary James Cleverley said, "The ever-increasing numbers are eroding the British people's confidence in your immigration system, placing a burden on public services and driving down wages."
“When I promised to make the biggest ever reduction in legal migration, I knew we also had to work to show the impact of our action as quickly as practical. This data will be needed before our first measures take effect. But the numbers show a significant decline.” “outlining why necessary action was taken to reduce the unsustainable number of dependents of care workers,” he said.
The minister said there was still more to come in the government's plans to "cut migration" led by Prime Minister Rish Sunak.According to official data from February, the number of Indians getting study visas increased by 85,849 between 2019 and 2023 – the highest ever group of international students in the UK. However, the 1,20,110 study visas granted to Indian nationals in 2023 were 14 per cent lower than in 2022 – indicating a decline amid already stringent visa norms.
The government's review of the post-study graduate route, which allows foreign students to seek work and gain experience for up to two years after a degree, is widely expected to further restrict the options for international students in the UK when The Independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) will submit its report later this month.
Experts believe that more Indians will turn away from applying to US universities after this visa route has topped the list since its launch in 2021.
Among other measures, a ban on foreign care workers bringing dependents came into force on March 11 – the Home Office said the impact of this was expected to become clear in future data.While doctors and nurses are able to bring family members closer, the stringent measures are aimed at cracking down on exploitation and abuse of workers within the social care sector.
The Home Office said, "There is clear evidence that care workers have been offered visas under false pretenses, recruited into non-existent jobs or paid well below the minimum wage required for their work British workers have been exploited."
This week's data also includes the last data before the general salary range for people arriving on skilled worker visas increased from GBP 26,200 t GBP 38,700 earlier this month. Overall, the Home Office says its visa action will mean that around 300,000 people who came to Britain last year will no longer be able to come.
Reducing legal and illegal migration is one of the Sunak-Ley government's priorities ahead of general elections in the second half of the year.The latest figures come as the government sent its first failed asylum seeker to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme. Which offers 3,000 GB to illegal immigrants to voluntarily relocate to the East African country.
A mandatory deportation scheme for illegal immigrants is also expected to be implemented soon after the controversial Rwanda Security Bill was passed by Parliament and became an Act this month.
