UK Home Secretary Says New Immigration Rules will Close Backdoor to Work

The United Kingdom’s Home Secretary has explained the newly introduced immigration rules that put restrictions on international students bringing their family members. She said that this will relieve some pressure on public services and prevent students from using a loophole to start working.

Suella Braverman, the country’s Home Secretary, said on Twitter, “The significant rise in students bringing family members is putting untenable pressure on public services. Tightening the student route will help to cut migration by restricting post-graduate students from bringing dependents or using the route as a backdoor to work.”

This comes shortly after the UK government announced new immigration rules putting restrictions on international students bringing their family members. The change restricts the number of family members that international students can bring into the country. Now, only the family members of international students on postgraduate research programs will be allowed to join them in Britain.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Braverman said, “This package includes: removing the right for international students to bring dependents unless they are on postgraduate courses currently designated as research programs.” This is said to curb the significant rise in visas granted to dependants of international students.

It was noted that the number of visas issued to student dependents jumped to 136,000 by December 2022, which was up from just 16,000 in 2019.

Not only a restriction on who can have dependants, the UK government also implemented measures to prevent international students from switching to work visas before completing their studies as well as reviewing the financial requirements for students and their dependents. These regulations will be in effect from January 2024.

In regard to the recent increase in fake applications, the government plans to increase enforcement against education agents that are suspected of submitting these fake applications.

Vineet Washington