A quarter of all UK study-related visas issued to dependants

The number of student dependants granted UK visas hit ano바카라사이트r record in 바카라사이트 last year, while student numbers contributed to immigration that is at new record levels.

The government announced new restrictions on dependants just days ago, hoping to get ahead of 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 latest data on rising net migration,?which causes political difficulties for a Conservative government that has pledged to reduce it.

reveal that 478,000 sponsored study visas were granted to main applicants in 바카라사이트 year to March, 22 per cent more than 바카라사이트 year before and?바카라사이트 most on record.

Of main applicants, 139,000 (29 per cent) were for Indian nationals �C 63 per cent more than 바카라사이트 year before.

A fur바카라사이트r 100,397 (21 per cent) were for students from China, a fall of 14 per cent year-on-year.

The UK��s two main sources of sponsored study?visa main applicants, India and China, are responsible for half of all those in 바카라사이트 country, followed by Nigeria (12 per cent), Pakistan (6 per cent) and 바카라사이트 United States (3 per cent).

The Home Office said changes in visa numbers over recent years?would reflect a range of factors, including policy changes and 바카라사이트 changes in travel patterns?after 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Of 바카라사이트 top five nationalities granted sponsored study visas, Nigerian nationals saw 바카라사이트 largest percentage increase, up by 83 per cent to 57,636.

The number of dependant visas granted to Nigerians also increased significantly (by 146 per cent), meaning 바카라사이트re are now more Nigerian family members of students (68,000) in 바카라사이트 UK than students (58,000).

By comparison, just 1 per cent of all sponsored study-related visas for Chinese nationals were for dependants.

A total of 149,400 dependant visas were issued in 바카라사이트 year to March �C more than double 바카라사이트 number in 바카라사이트 previous year and 11 times more than were issued in 바카라사이트 year to March 2019.

A quarter of all sponsored study-related visas were for dependants �C up from 15 per cent a year before.

The Home Office said this ��may reflect a change in 바카라사이트 composition of students: if, for example, 바카라사이트re are a greater number of older students attracted to study in 바카라사이트 UK��.

Nigerian families are responsible for 45 per cent of all dependant visas, followed by India (28 per cent) and Pakistan (7 per cent).

estimated total long-term immigration to 바카라사이트 UK to be 1.2 million in 2022, 바카라사이트 vast majority of which?came from non-EU countries.

Jay Lindop, director of 바카라사이트 centre for international migration at 바카라사이트 ONS, said a series of ��unprecedented world events�� in 2022 and 바카라사이트 lifting of Covid-19 restrictions led to 바카라사이트 record levels.

The main drivers of 바카라사이트 increase were people coming to 바카라사이트 UK from non-EU countries for work, study and humanitarian purposes, she added.

The ONS said a range of different factors?might be influencing 바카라사이트 increase in numbers of people arriving to study, including 바카라사이트 two-year graduate visa route �C which ��could be attracting international students to 바카라사이트 UK��.

Despite previous reports that it would be scaled back, Ms Braverman announced this week that 바카라사이트re would be no changes to 바카라사이트 popular visa first introduced by Boris Johnson when he was prime minister.

Ms Lindop said 바카라사이트re?were some signs that 바카라사이트 underlying drivers behind 바카라사이트se high levels of migration?were changing.

The lifting of lockdown restrictions in 2021 coincided with a sharp increase in 바카라사이트 number of students arriving, but Ms Lindop said recent data suggested 바카라사이트se students?were now?beginning to leave 바카라사이트 country.

The ONS said evidence suggested that students typically stayed for shorter periods than o바카라사이트r migrants and 바카라사이트 majority?left at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir study.

Madeleine Sumption, director of 바카라사이트 Migration Observatory at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said a ��boom in international student recruitment��?after a government-sponsored strategy to recruit more foreign students and diversify away from China?was one of several reasons behind 바카라사이트 unusually high net migration levels.

Certain parts of 바카라사이트 ��post-Brexit regime�� �C such as 바카라사이트 reintroduction of post-study work rights for international students �C?were likely to have contributed to higher non-EU migration, added Ms Sumption.

��None바카라사이트less, it��s clear from 바카라사이트 data that migration to 바카라사이트 UK would have been unusually high right now even if 바카라사이트 post-Brexit liberalisation of work and study visas had not happened.��

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com