New Delhi: Indian students aspiring to study in the United Kingdom have been dealt a major setback due to the UK government’s latest immigration restrictions.
Under the new rule, students will no longer be able to bring their family members with them to the UK.
This announcement comes just two days before the release of immigration figures, which reveal a record high of 700,000 legal migrants.
Last year alone, the UK granted 135,788 visas to relatives of foreign students, marking a nine-fold increase compared to 2019.
The changes in UK immigration rules for international students may shatter the dreams of many Indians hoping to pursue their studies in the country.
Previously, Indian students could easily bring their relatives to the UK, but the new rules prohibit such arrangements.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak believes that this decision will reduce migration to the UK.
Government Faces Pressure to Curb Migration
Rishi Sunak informed the cabinet that the new rules will be implemented from January 2024, leading to a significant change in migration numbers.
However, the impact on official migration remains uncertain, as current statistics do not include students and their families staying for less than a year.
Sunak previously stated that his ministers were working towards reducing migration, but he refrained from discussing specific targets.
Understanding the New Rule
The recent announcement specifies that parents and children of postgraduate students and those enrolled in research programs will not be granted visas to reside in the UK during their courses.
In the previous year, the UK issued 135,788 visas to dependents of students, a significant increase of 54,486 compared to 2021 and seven times more than in 2020.
Since Brexit and the formation of the European Economic Area (EEA), the number of students in the UK has been on the rise.
