The recent introduction of regulations by the UK government that limit the ability of foreign students to bring their family to the nation has caused controversy and exacerbated differences among the ruling party headed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
With immediate effect, the majority of overseas students are subject to the requirements, with the exception of those enrolled in postgraduate research programs or recipients of government-funded scholarships.
The move, which was first made public in May as part of the government’s plan to reduce abuse of the visa system, is expected to prevent some 140,000 people from entering the UK each year.
According to recent figures, the number of student visas awarded increased significantly, from 269,000 in 2019 to 486,000 in the year ending December 2022. Additionally, there was a notable rise in dependent visas, up to 136,000 last year—an eight-fold increase from the 16,000.
Home Secretary James Cleverly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to limiting immigration and safeguarding borders while endorsing the regulation revisions. He said, “This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300,000 people from coming to the UK.”
Opposition voices, such as Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, contend that the actions are insufficient and only deal with the obvious problems. Cooper attacked the administration for failing to address more significant skill and labor market issues, even as he supported the ban on dependents for students enrolled in shorter courses. Cooper accused the Tories of hurting growth and aggravating migration.
In a similar issue, the government came under fire for abandoning its plan to raise the family visa threshold from £18,600 to £38,700 in the spring, despite having committed to doing so. Under new, stricter UK visa regulations, international students—including Indians—beginning studies at British institutions this month will only be permitted to enroll family members in postgraduate research programs and courses that are supported by government subsidies. This restriction will take effect on Monday.
The UK Home Office stated that 140,000 fewer people are expected to enter the country as a result of the reforms, which were initially announced in May of last year by former home secretary Suella Braverman. The measures are intended to crack down on those who use the student visa as a backdoor to work in the UK. The new stringent regulations aim to reduce the “unreasonable practice” of international students bringing dependents, which has increased by more than 930 percent since 2019, as described by Home Secretary James Cleverly.
According to data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), dependents of students received up to 152,980 visas in September 2023—a significant increase from the 14,839 visas granted in the same month the previous year.
It is understandable that some of the most talented students in the world choose to study in the UK because of our top universities. However, we have noticed a sharp increase in the number of dependents that students are bringing with them, which is causing migration to reach unsustainable levels, according to UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border Tom Pursglove.
We firmly believe that there will be a significant decline in migration. By limiting the entry of dependents under the student visa program, we have strengthened our ability to safeguard public services and bolster the economy by enabling the most productive students to continue their studies here. This move was taken today. According to him, this is one of several steps that would together result in 300,000 fewer visitors entering the UK than there were the previous year.
Accordingly, the government will collaborate with academic institutions to create an “alternative approach” that will allow the most talented individuals to bring their dependents to study at the top universities in the UK while still lowering net migration. The UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has pledged to reduce the amount of immigration, both legal and illegal, entering the nation
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