UK Sees 80% Drop in Student Dependant Applications, PM Sunak Announces Measures to Reduce Migration

In a recent update on the X platform, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that the United Kingdom has successfully curtailed migration by slashing student dependant applications by a staggering 80 percent. Sunak underscored this achievement by sharing a 15-second video showcasing three documents titled “Foreign Masters Students Bringing Family Members,” “Overseas Care Workers Bringing Family Dependants,” and “Immigration Undercutting British Workers,” each stamped with the word “stopped.”

This significant reduction in student dependant applications aligns with the government’s pledge made in 2023 to revoke the rights of certain international students to bring family members into the country, aiming to decrease the annual net migration rate. Sunak had committed to implementing measures to mitigate the influx of migrants, a promise he made prior to the election.

The latest measures primarily target postgraduate students, excluding those enrolled in research programs. According to the UK’s interior ministry, these actions are expected to substantially reduce migration and deter individuals from exploiting student visas as a gateway to secure employment in the country.

Former interior minister Suella Braverman highlighted the concerning trend of escalating numbers of student dependants entering the country on visas. Effective January 1, 2024, international students studying in the UK, with the exception of those in research postgraduate programs, are no longer permitted to bring dependants with them on their UK student visas.

Statistics from the Home Office indicate a remarkable surge in the number of visas granted to dependants of sponsored students, soaring from 16,000 in 2019 to approximately 136,000 in the year ending December 2022. Braverman also announced the government’s decision to eliminate the option for students to transition from a student visa to a work visa before completing their studies.

These developments are part of a broader strategy by the government to curb migration to the UK while maintaining its commitment to accommodating 600,000 international students annually by 2030.