Under these changes, Nigerians and other international students will only be able to bring their families to the UK under specific circumstances.
The government’s objective is to prevent the misuse of the visa system and protect the country’s commitment to lower overall migration.
International students will no longer be allowed to bring dependents with them, except for those enrolled in postgraduate courses designated as research programs.
Furthermore, the package includes the removal of the ability for international students to switch from the student route to work routes before completing their studies.
The government believes that implementing these measures will safeguard against visa system abuse.
In addition to the changes mentioned, the government intends to review the maintenance requirement for students and their dependents.
There will also be a crackdown on “unscrupulous” education agents who exploit inappropriate applications to sell immigration rather than education.
These actions are aimed at ensuring that the UK’s international education strategy continues to support the economy while upholding the government’s commitment to reducing net migration.
The new regulations will apply to students commencing their courses from January 2024. This implementation timeline allows future international students adequate time to plan accordingly.
In a written ministerial statement, Home Secretary Suella Braverman highlighted that recent immigration data had revealed an unexpected increase in the number of dependents accompanying international students.
This rise occurred despite the government’s commitment to lower net migration. Braverman acknowledged the importance of international education in bolstering the economy but emphasized the need to strike a balance between tackling net migration and harnessing the economic benefits brought by students.
The government expects the new measures to have a significant impact on net migration.
By combining these changes with the easing of temporary factors, they anticipate a return to pre-pandemic levels of net migration in the medium term.
The announcement comes at a time when the government faces mounting pressure over migration figures, which has reportedly caused divisions within the cabinet.
Official statistics to be published later this week are projected to reveal a rise in net migration from 504,000 in the 12 months leading up to June 2022 to over 700,000 in the year ending December.
The announcement comes at a time when the government faces mounting pressure over migration figures, which has reportedly caused divisions within the cabinet.
