The United Kingdom’s new rules for international students and immigrants are delivering the desired results for the government. The Home Office issued new data this week showing the early effects of recent immigration rules on the number of persons seeking for UK work and study visas.
Almost 80% fall in student-dependent applications has been witnessed in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The United Kingdom’s government has made significant modifications to its immigration and international student enrollment policies. The updated student visa regulations are in force from January 2024, with some changes expected later in the year.
The ultimate objective of the UK government is to reduce the net migration rate. The most recent official estimates suggest that net migration in the year to June 2023 was 672,000, up significantly from pre-pandemic levels but lower than the 745,000 who arrived in the year to December 2022.
Yash Dubal, Director & a Senior Immigration Associate at A Y & J Solicitors, London, United Kingdom says, “The latest UK government figures show that the measures taken in the UK to reduce migration in certain areas are working. The measures are particularly targeted at dependents of visa holders and at low and middle skilled workers.
Since January this year the British Home Office has granted 139,100 visas to skilled workers, skilled workers in health and care, and students, down from 184,000 in the same period last year.
The UK is still a welcoming destination for people with the right skill level however. There are no caps on the number of health and care visas and skilled workers visas available for those who qualify and other schemes such as self-sponsor can be used by entrepreneurs who want to set up their own businesses in the UK.”
Students and Dependents Visas
The new UK visa policies introduced a significant restriction on granting dependents visas. UK universities are implementing stricter visa restrictions, limiting international students to enroll family members or dependents in postgraduate research programs funded by government subsidies.
Further, switching visas before completion of course has prevented backdoor work thus clamping down on institutions selling immigration instead of education.
Health and Care Visa
The published figures also reveal that in the first quarter of 2024, dependant applications on the Health and Care visa continued to significantly outnumber main applicants. Doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals remain able to bring dependants.
The UK government has been consistently clear that dependant visa numbers have been both disproportionate and unsustainable, which is why decisive action was taken to restrict care workers from bringing dependants.
This measure came into effect on March 11, meaning its impact will be fully shown in future statistics.
In parallel, care providers acting as sponsors for migrants in England are now required to register with the industry regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), to crack down on worker exploitation and abuse within the sector.
The UK government is now of the opinion that there is clear evidence that care workers have been offered visas under false pretences, recruited into non-existent jobs or paid far below the minimum wage required for their work, exploiting them while undercutting British workers.
Salary Threshold
The new data also includes the final data before the general salary threshold for those arriving on the Skilled Worker visa rose from £26,200 to £38,700, meaning the impact of this measure will also be revealed in future statistics releases.
Finally, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been commissioned to carry out a rapid review of the Graduate route for international students to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education. The Shortage Occupation List has also been replaced with a new Immigration Salary List, with employers no longer able to pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations.
