The UK on Tuesday announced a ban on international students bringing family members with them as part of its wider plan to reduce net migration.
In a written ministerial statement, Suella Braverman, the home secretary, confirmed that the ban — which will apply to all international students except those undertaking research postgraduate courses such as PhDs — will take effect from January 2024.
The announcement comes as the government is braced for the latest net migration data from the Office for National Statistics, due to be published on Thursday, to show a sharp increase.
The Centre for Policy Studies think-tank has suggested it will jump to more than 700,000, from just over 500,000 in the year to June 2022.
The Home Office estimates that since 2019, there has been an eightfold increase in the number of visas granted to dependants of international students, rising from 16,000 to 136,000.
Other proposals in the statement include a crackdown on “unscrupulous education agents”, a review of maintenance requirements for students and their dependants, and removing the ability to “switch out of the student route into work routes” before studies have been completed.
The move comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced scathing criticism from within his own party over the government’s handling of migration.
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