Will the UK’s New Visa Rule Impact Indian Students in 2024?

The latest news from the UK regarding the impact of new UK-dependent visa rules on Indian students is being discussed. The Government of the UK revised the UK Student Visa rules last year, and the new UK Visa norms have been in effect since January 2024. 

The UK's new Visa rule strikes down the privilege of bringing dependents or family members to the UK. According to the government, the rules were misused by universities and international education agents. According to the Home Office, “the changes to student visas strike the “right balance” to continue to preserve the attractiveness of the UK’s world-leading higher education sector while removing the ability for institutions to undermine the UK’s reputation by “selling immigration, not education.” 

The UK attracts millions of international students from across the world yearly. The number of dependent visas rose from 14,839 in September 2019 to 152,980 until September 2023, as per the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK. The number of Indian students who went for UK higher studies was 1,39,700 in 2022-2023. The attractive number of students pursuing higher education in the UK is due to the growing interest in postgraduate studies among Indian students since 2019-2020. The data also showed that Indians favor a one-year Master’s degree, as it allows them to bring their family or spouse to the UK.. 

The UK news visa rule raises concern among Indian students. Universities or in the process of appearing for international entrance exams like IELTS and TOEFL to pursue education. Moreover, this visa change is impacting. The Indian diaspora is prominent and accounts for the highest percentage of international students. The concern is not only the new rules but also the rising cost of visa applications. Recently, the UK increased the cost of a visa to £38,700, making it harder for Indian students to secure a post-study-work visa. Additionally, the growing price of student accommodation alongside the job crunch in the UK, when topped with the no-dependents rule, is the worse. 

According to Pragyan, an Indian student in the UK pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electronics and electronics engineering, “I have invested nearly £40,000 in education, accommodation, visa, and health insurance. Because the economy is in such a poor condition, there are hardly any companies willing to sponsor work visas.”

However, according to the UK Home Office, 40% of undergraduate students in the graduate route of UK immigration visa received an extension under the post-study-work visa norms. The graduate route remains unimpacted until now. However, the government is planning to review the same. According to the government, striking the right balance is important when it comes to quality education. Also, the Rishi Sunak government promised UK citizens to cut down on faulty immigration. Amidst the implementation of the new UK Visa rule, the government is prepared to see a stark decline in the number of Indian students entering the country. Rishi Sunak’s Tweet on the matter on X also spoke about the doubts arising from the new UK Visa norm:

Not only Indian students but also UK universities have some reservations about the new UK Visa rules. The Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, quoted to Indian Express, warned that the UK would “lose out on many high-quality Master’s students.

However, the government sees its decision in a positive light. According to the latest news UK, the Home Office on the matter says, “The government will work with universities to design an “alternative approach” for the brightest and the best to bring dependants to the UK’s world-leading universities while continuing to reduce net migration.”

Not alone in the UK study visa, the government is also planning on reviewing the UK immigration rules. According to the Latest news UK, James Cleverly, Secretary of State for the Home Department, announced recently that “A further set of measures including tightening health and care visas by stopping overseas care workers from bringing dependants and requiring care firms in England to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission to sponsor visas.” 

From the entire set of developments, experts at amber news believe that there might be a mixed response to the new UK visa rule. Most of the Indians go to the UK for a brighter future with exciting career opportunities. The abundance of top-ranking universities in the UK and future opportunities make for the most important factors for choosing the UK.

The popularity of the UK is growing despite the UK visa news among all international students, making the UK a rising student hub. The multiple positive steps by the government in the UK have helped the country attract top talents from across the globe. The growing demand among students in the UK is directly proportional to the requirement for PBSAs and HMOs. If you are looking for a perennial source of income and want to reap the benefits of the growing student housing market in the UK, list with us now.