In an effort to strengthen immigration control, the British government is set to implement a stringent policy that will prohibit the majority of international students from bringing their families to the country. This decision comes as new official statistics, to be released this Thursday, are expected to reveal a staggering surge in net migration, reaching a record-breaking one million individuals.
Concerned Members of Parliament have openly voiced their anxieties and called upon Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, to take firm action in curbing the escalating numbers. Anticipating the negative impact of this news, the British government is preparing to announce the immigration clampdown for international students either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Under the forthcoming regulations, all international students pursuing a master’s degree and a significant number of other postgraduate students will be barred from bringing their families to the United Kingdom. However, this ban will not apply to Ph.D. students, as their courses typically span three to five years and involve highly specialized skills.
Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, and her deputy, Robert Jenrick, initially proposed raising the salary threshold for migrants, but their suggestion was ultimately rejected following opposition from the Treasury. Currently, foreign workers are required to meet a salary threshold of £26,000 to relocate to Britain. The Home Office aimed to increase this threshold to £33,000, which aligns with the average wage of British workers.
Rishi Sunak, in response to the impending immigration concerns, is expected to mount a robust defense, highlighting that these figures are a result of circumstances inherited from the period ending in December 2022—just two months after assuming the position of Prime Minister.
The influx of individuals exploiting their relatives’ student visas to gain entry to the UK has experienced a significant surge. Last year alone, 135,788 family members accompanied international students to Britain, marking a ninefold increase compared to 2019. Notably, Nigerian students accounted for a substantial portion of these figures, with 59,053 students bringing over 60,923 relatives.
