The UK may lose the influx of international students it receives each year as a result of its most recent attempt to resolve immigration-related problems.
The newest revisions to the immigration and visa policies for international students were revealed by Rishi Sunak’s administration earlier this year. The ability for international students entering the UK on a student visa to change to a skilled workers visa will cease on January 20, 2024, if they have not finished their degrees.
The Most Recent Advances
A set of modifications is scheduled to be enacted shortly, according to a statement made by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman on May 23 of this year. Several of them consist of:
- If an international student is not enrolled in a Ph.D. or postgraduate program, they should not be allowed to bring dependents into the country.
- Taking away overseas students’ ability to convert from their student visa to a skilled worker visa before they have finished their studies in full.
- Examining and keeping a careful eye on student requirements for upkeep and other matters.
Students traveling to the UK on a student visa can currently change to a skilled worker visa even if they haven’t completed their degree if they have a job offer or an offer of sponsorship. Students were allowed to remain and work in the United Kingdom for five years, with the possibility to change the type of visa they were on, and then apply for a visa extension or permanent resident status. However, these recent modifications might make this path inaccessible.
Why Were These Modifications Made?
With net migration reaching 6,06,000 in 2022, the UK government primarily implemented these policies to reduce it. Studies also reveal that the number of dependents entering the nation has increased significantly—roughly 136,000 in 2022, a 750% increase from 2019. In addition, the government believes that dependents’ contributions to the UK economy are less significant than those of those in the skilled labor group. The decision to limit students’ earlier freedom to bring their dependents across was decided by the UK government as a result of all of this.
Because multiple persons have previously abused the facilities to enter the nation illegally, the government is concerned. Skilled worker visas are permanent immigration permits, in contrast to student visas. This is well known to many who have entered the UK under the guise of continuing their education, only to leave a few weeks after entering to obtain a skilled worker visa.
Given that most would not have paid the whole tuition by then, this is one way for people to avoid the excessively high academic costs in the nation. Students can only make the switch after they have finished their studies or shortly before they graduate, despite the fact that there isn’t much information available regarding how these switches are made specifically.
Additional Read: The Departure of More than 500,000 Workers Put the UK Economy in Danger
What Effects Is The Change Expected To Have?
When they are prohibited from bringing family members into the nation, postgraduate students who are not enrolled in research-based master’s programs may be impacted by this. Merely 46,350 postgraduate students were enrolled in research courses in 2021–2022, according to data from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency. For the remaining students and their families waiting for immigration, this would be a significant disadvantage.
Moreover, net migration to the UK will drop significantly. A number of gifted people would be deterred from wishing to study and work in the UK by the restrictions and instead would choose to practice their skills in other nations.
Some British colleges and universities rely substantially on the income from international students’ fees, which are often higher than those of domestic students. As a result, the lack of potential international students may influence their budgets.
The British economy may be affected by this. Dependents do contribute to the economy, even though reports indicate that their share is lower than that of highly skilled individuals. Their income from work may be affected by the reforms, which would make the UK labor crisis even worse.
As predicted, people’s opinions on the modifications have been divided. Although 140 UK universities have welcomed the announcement, international students from other nations have expressed sorrow over it. There may be an anticipated shift in preference in the UK in the upcoming months, as it is now one of the most popular destinations for international students.
Overall, one can only hope that the government will take care to ensure that the reforms, when in effect, will not have a negative impact on international students, as Braverman was reported to have said, “By allowing the students who make the biggest contributions to continue attending, we can more fairly safeguard our public services and boost the local economy.”
In conclusion, the UK’s decision to limit student visa switches is likely to have an impact on international students looking to work in the country after graduation. However, there are still opportunities available, and partnering with reputable staffing agencies can help.
We at Dynamic Staffing Services, with our expertise in recruitment and placement services, can help match candidates with potential employers, making it easier for them to start their careers in the UK. For more details about our services, please get in touch with us at +44-7477196844, send an email to enquiry@dss-hr.co.uk, and to receive updates on the newest job opportunities and industry developments, subscribe to our newsletter.
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