Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could ban foreign students from bringing dependents and studying “low-quality” degrees.
The restriction was being mulled after net migration to the UK reached a historical high record of more than half a million immigrants precisely 504,000 as of June 2022 according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said a ban is seriously being considered to curb the high influx of foreign students who relocate to the UK with dependents for the period of their study.
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Sunak’s Spokesman:
“We’re considering all options to make sure the immigration system is delivering, and that does include looking at the issue of student dependants and low-quality degrees.”
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman had previously complained about foreign students “bringing in family members who can piggyback onto their student visa” and “propping up, frankly, substandard courses in inadequate institutions.”
However, such moves could meet resistance from other parts of Whitehall.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last week insisted that immigration is required to boost growth.
He said:
“There needs to be a long-term plan if we’re going to bring down migration in a way that doesn’t harm the economy.
“We are recognising that we will need migration for the years ahead – that will be very important for the economy.”
The Department for Education could raise concerns over universities’ funding if the number of high-fee-paying international students is cut.
According to Jay Lindop, ONS deputy director of the centre for international migration, migration from non-EU countries, specifically, students, drove the rise in levels of long-term immigration.
He said.
“With the lifting of travel restrictions in 2021, more students arrived in the UK after studying remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
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