The UK government has recently announced that the number of dependents accompanying students to the UK has significantly decreased by almost 80%. This reduction is a result of the government’s efforts to block Nigerian and other international students from bringing their dependents to the country.
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly stated that this is just the beginning of their plan to cut migration, and there is more to come. The government’s strong actions to transform the UK’s immigration system and reduce unsustainable levels of migration have been effective.
From January to March 2024, there were over 26,000 fewer student visa applications compared to the same period in 2023. This decrease is primarily due to the measures taken by the UK government to tighten student visas, which prevent most international students from bringing their family members.
Additionally, students are no longer allowed to switch their visa before completing their courses, preventing individuals from using this route as a backdoor to work in the UK.
The government’s goal is to restore public confidence in the immigration system, alleviate the burden on public services, and prevent wage suppression.
By implementing these measures, they aim to reduce the number of people arriving in the UK by approximately 300,000. To further address the issue, the government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to conduct a rapid review of the graduate route for international students.
This review aims to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education, and ensure that it serves the best interests of the UK. Additionally, the government plans to replace the shortage occupation list with a new immigration salary list, ensuring that employers can no longer pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations.
Furthermore, the minimum income requirement for the family visa will be raised to match the level of the skilled worker visa by early 2025.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
