It has been announced that there will be changes to the student visa and the dependent family member visa. Recently, the Home Office issued a brief press release announcing the revisions. The new rules are expected to come into effect for students starting their courses in January 2024. Limiting international students’ ability to bring family members except for post-graduate research visa routes and prohibiting

students from using a student visa as a backdoor to work in the UK will significantly reduce net migration. According to the ONS, from June 2021 to June 2022, net migration exceeded 500,000. Nearly half a million student visas were given last year, yet there are now 136,000 more dependents of international students than there were in 2019. The UK government is searching for ways to reduce net migration, which has led to alterations in the student visa process. It is not allowed for undergraduate students to bring dependent family members to the UK. The current policy allows only students enrolled in Ph.D. programs to bring their dependents. Dependents include a spouse and minor children. The number of such dependents entering the UK has increased from around 20,000 visas annually to over 70,000 or 80,000, according to the most recent statistics. Student visa holders can now change to work visas from within the UK, even if they do not complete their studies. According to the new revisions, the amount of money students must have to prove that they can support themselves and their dependents in the UK will also be reviewed by the government. The UK government will collaborate with the higher education sector to explore alternative possibilities to make sure that the brightest students may continue to bring dependents when they study at the UK’s internationally renowned universities. Additionally, according to the new update, “the changes to student visas strike the right balance between supporting the UK economy, including world-class educational institutions, and upholding the government’s commitment to reducing overall net migration.” Following Brexit, net migration numbers have continued to rise; therefore, it is not surprising that the UK government is trying to reduce those numbers and has consequently announced modifications to the UK student visa route. The Home Office had already expressed its plans throughout the previous year, but the official confirmation was finally released on May 23, 2023. The most recent Home Office news release is quite generic in nature, so as usual, we must wait for the details to be included in the updated immigration laws and Home Office guidance.