The UK government has announced new immigration restrictions preventing many international students from bringing their family members to the UK. The new rules, which come into effect on March 29, 2023, will apply to all postgraduate students except those studying in research courses.
Under the new rules, partners and children of postgraduate students will no longer be able to apply for visas to live in the UK during the course. The only exception will be for students who their employer sponsors.
The government says the new rules are necessary to reduce net migration to the UK. In 2022, 135,788 visas were granted to dependants of international students, a rise from 54,486 in 2021.
The new rules have been met with criticism from some quarters.
UCAS has stated that the new rules will challenge universities looking to attract international students.
“These changes will make it harder for universities to recruit the best and brightest students from around the world,” said UCAS chief executive Nick Hillman. “We are concerned that this will hurt the UK’s reputation as a global leader in education.”
The Indian government has also criticized the new rules. The Indian High Commission in London has said the laws are “unfair and discriminatory”.
“These changes will make it more difficult for Indian students to study in the UK,” said the Indian High Commission. “We urge the UK government to reconsider these changes.”
How the new rules will affect the number of international students studying in the UK remains to be seen. However, the authorities will make it more difficult for students to bring family members to the UK.
Here are some of the potential impacts of the new rules:
- Fewer international students may choose to study in the UK.
- Those who do study in the UK may be more likely to study on a shorter course, such as a one-year master’s degree, so that they can return home sooner to be with their family.
- Students who bring their families to the UK may be more likely to do so illegally, which could put them at risk of exploitation.
- The UK’s status as a top performer in education on a global scale could be negatively impacted.
The UK government has said that it will monitor the impact of the new rules and make changes if necessary.
Here are some of the reasons why the UK government has introduced these new rules:
- To reduce net migration to the UK.
- To ensure that international students are only in the UK for study.
- To protect the UK taxpayer from the costs of providing public services to dependants of international students.
However, the new rules have been criticized by some quarters, who argue that they are unfair and discriminatory. They also say that the authorities will the aim is to make it harder for universities to attract students from other countries damaging the UK’s reputation as a global educational leader.
How the new rules will affect the number of international students studying in the UK remains to be seen. However, the authorities will make it more difficult for students to bring family members to the UK.
Here are some of the impacts of the new rules:
- Reduced number of international students: The new rules will likely reduce the number of international students coming to the UK. Many students will be reluctant to go to the UK if they cannot bring family members.
- Damaged reputation as a global education hub: The new rules will likely damage the UK’s reputation as a global education hub. The UK will no longer be seen as welcoming to international students and their families.
- Reduced economic benefits: The new rules are likely to reduce the economic benefits of international students. This is because international students contribute to the UK economy in several ways, such as paying tuition fees, spending money on accommodation and living costs, and starting businesses.
The new rules are a significant change to the UK’s immigration policy. It remains to be seen how the new rules will impact the number of international students coming to the UK and the UK’s economy.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “What this decision runs the risk of doing is making sure these institutions, these universities which are dependent on the fee income of international students, go through a financial crisis.
“We are already seeing financial crises in universities over the last year – there have been strikes over the last year, and vice-chancellors are having to manage that problem – but you will aggravate that problem.”
Student numbers
According to HESA, an education data group, there were 679,970 international students in the UK in 2021/2022.
Of these, 307,470 undergraduates couldn’t bring family members to the UK during their course.
There were 372,500 postgraduates, of whom 46,350 are on research courses – the vast majority of them for PhDs, along with a small number of research-based masters degrees.
