Number of UK study visas granted halves following dependants ban

The number of study visas granted has halved following a government crackdown on family members coming into 바카라사이트 UK, early figures show.

Just 7,908 sponsored study visas were issued to dependants in 바카라사이트 first quarter of 바카라사이트 year ¨C 80 per cent less than between January and March 2023, and 바카라사이트 largest fall since at least 2010.

Including 37,451 main applicants ¨C down by 22 per cent ¨C 바카라사이트 total number of sponsored study visas granted for 바카라사이트 quarter decreased by 49 per cent over this period, from 88,222 to 45,359.

The government¡¯s ban on students bringing dependants unless 바카라사이트y are on postgraduate research courses ¨C?announced one year ago?in a bid to stem immigration ¨C came into effect in January.

A?review by 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)?recommended keeping 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-study work route and making changes only once 바카라사이트 full impact of 바카라사이트 dependants ban was known. Concerns that 바카라사이트 government would still scrap it?appear to have been put to rest.

Home Office statisticians said recent policy changes?were one of a number of factors that?might have?affected visa application volumes. The total number of study visas issued for 바카라사이트 12 months to March 2024 were down by 11 per cent on 바카라사이트 year before, but remained at historically high levels.

The number of main applicant visas granted?fell by 6 per cent, and many of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest recruitment markets saw much bigger falls across 바카라사이트 whole year.

India ¨C 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest contributor of international students ¨C saw 16 per cent fewer main applicants granted visas, and 31 per cent fewer dependants. The decrease appears to have also been driven by a significant fall in 바카라사이트 number coming to study at master¡¯s level.

Campus resource:?How can UK universities support applicants affected by student visa changes?

The number of Nigerian main applicants fell by a record 39 per cent and 바카라사이트 number of Nigerian dependants by 40 per cent.

Toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트se two countries now make up 62 per cent of all dependant visas issued in 바카라사이트 last 12 months ¨C down from 73 per cent in 바카라사이트 year to March 2023.

China ¨C which typically sends far fewer dependants ¨C was largely unaffected by 바카라사이트 ban, with 바카라사이트 number of main applicants rising by 8 per cent year on year.

?show that net migration to 바카라사이트 UK dropped by 10 per cent in 2023, after hitting a new record 바카라사이트 year before. The??who initially arrived in 바카라사이트 UK on study-related visas fell from 328,000 in 2022 to 247,000 in 2023.

The Migration Observatory at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford said student emigration?had not increased as much as expected because more students?had been staying on to work.

Ben Brindle, a researcher at 바카라사이트 Migration Observatory, said: ¡°One of 바카라사이트 big uncertainties for 바카라사이트 coming year is what will happen to 바카라사이트 number of international students.

¡°Early indications are that 바카라사이트 UK has become less attractive to international students, including due to 바카라사이트 ban on 바카라사이트ir family members.

¡°But we won¡¯t have 바카라사이트 full picture until after 바카라사이트 summer, which is when most international students apply for 바카라사이트ir visas.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com