New immigration rules that will prevent most international students from bringing their families to the UK with them came into force on Monday (January 1).
Speaking earlier this week, James Cleverly said the “unreasonable practice” of overseas students bringing their family to the UK will end as a result of the new restrictions on visa routes.
The Government first announced the plans in May 2023, which affects all but those enrolling on postgraduate research courses and ones with Government-funded scholarships.
The Home Secretary said the ban will cut migration by tens of thousands.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a significant factor behind the rising migration numbers in recent years has been an increase in foreign students and their dependants arriving in the UK.
One of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s pledges to Brits was that he would reduce net migration in the country.
Last year, figures were released by the ONS which showed UK net migration reached record highs in 2022, with 606,000 moving to the UK that year.
A graduate visa currently allows master’s students to bring their partners and children to the country with them. They can stay for 24 months after the students’ courses finish.
The new rule regarding foreign students will not apply to PhD students, whose training often lasts between three to five years and aims to produce highly skilled workers.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises ministers on migration issues, has also suggested limiting the amount of time overseas students are allowed to remain in the country.
The chairman of the committee, Professor Brian Bell, told the Sunday Telegraph it found it “unnecessary” for foreign students to be allowed to work in the UK for two years after completing their master’s degrees.
Another new immigration rule Home Secretary Suella Braverman wanted to introduce was related to salary thresholds. Foreign workers are currently expected to earn at least £26,000 to be able to move to the UK. Ms Braverman wanted to increase this threshold to £33,000 to match the average wage in the country, but the Treasury overruled the proposal.
The home secretary has also said that more Brits should be trained to work as lorry drivers and fruit pickers to meet the demand without needing to rely on immigrant workers.
However, the prime minister has said that more seasonal workers would be allowed into the UK if there is a need for it. Talking to farmers and other food producers last week, he said that an extra 10,000 visas would be made available for the agriculture sector on top of the current 45,000 allocated.
