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UK visas for Indian students. The latest Home Office statistics reveal that while Indian nationals continue to lead in student visa grants, there are emerging signs of a decline in applications to UK universities, likely influenced by the tightening of migration policies. The data, covering the year up to June 2024, indicates a significant 23 percent drop in the number of Indian students arriving in the UK for higher education, although they still constitute the largest group benefiting from the Graduate Route visa, which allows foreign graduates to work in the UK for up to two years after completing their degrees.
This decrease in Indian student numbers marks the first visible impact of stricter regulations, particularly the new restrictions on student visa holders bringing dependent family members, which were introduced earlier this year. The statistics show that 110,006 sponsored study visas were granted to Indian nationals in the year ending June 2024, accounting for 25 percent of the total but representing a decrease of 32,687 compared to the previous year.
The decline in Indian student numbers is part of a broader trend affecting other nationalities as well. For instance, there was a 46 percent drop in Nigerian students coming to the UK for studies during the same period. These trends are concerning for UK universities, which have increasingly relied on the higher tuition fees paid by international students, especially in the face of financial pressures.
The India-UK Young Professionals Scheme, which allows young graduates from both countries to live and work in the other country for up to two years, has also seen limited uptake. Since the first ballot was held in February of the previous year, only 2,234 Indian nationals have participated in the scheme, well below the annual cap of 3,000 visas.
Despite the decline in student numbers, Indian nationals continue to dominate in the Graduate Route visa category. In the year ending June 2024, Indian students accounted for 67,529 of these visas, representing almost half (46 percent) of all Graduate Route extensions granted to main applicants. However, the overall decrease in student numbers raises concerns for UK universities, which are already facing financial difficulties and depend heavily on international student fees.
The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK has expressed concern about the uncertainty created by the recent review of the Graduate Route visa, which was only concluded in May with a decision not to abolish the route. According to Sanam Arora, chair of NISAU UK, this period of uncertainty may have deterred many Indian students from applying to UK universities. Arora emphasized the importance of reassuring prospective students that the UK remains a welcoming destination for Indian students and that the confusion surrounding the Graduate Route visa has been resolved.
In addition to the challenges faced by students, Indian nationals have continued to top the charts in other visa categories. They accounted for 25 percent of UK Visitor Visas granted over the past year, closely followed by Chinese nationals, who made up 24 percent.
The changes in other work visa categories have led to a decline in the number of foreign workers, including Indians, coming to the UK. The previous Conservative government’s decision to raise minimum income thresholds and impose stricter rules on dependents under the Health and Care Visa has been maintained by the new Labour government. As a result, the number of Health and Care Worker visa grants for main applicants fell by 81 percent, dropping to 6,564 between April and June 2024, compared to 35,470 in the same period in 2023.
While there has been a 79 percent increase in grants for main applicants under the Worker category (including Skilled Worker visas) since 2021, the latest year has seen a slight decline of 3 percent. These developments highlight the broader impact of the UK’s changing immigration policies on both students and workers, with potential long-term consequences for the country’s educational institutions and workforce.
STUDY VISA DROP TREND NOT LIMITED TO INDIAN STUDENTS
The recent UK Home Office data reveals a significant shift in the landscape of international student visas, with a notable decline in the number of visas granted to Nigerian students, down by 46% compared to previous years. This drop is part of a broader trend, as Indian student visas also saw a 23% decline. Interestingly, Pakistani nationals have now surpassed Nigerians as the third-largest group of foreign students in the UK, signaling a shift in the demographic makeup of international students.
Chinese nationals continue to represent the second-largest group of foreign students in the UK, with 107,236 sponsored study visas granted, accounting for 25% of the total. However, compared to Indian students, a smaller proportion of Chinese nationals are pursuing master’s degrees.
The UK Home Office noted that while Indian and Nigerian students had driven much of the increase in foreign student numbers between 2019 and 2023, their numbers have significantly decreased in the latest year. This sudden decline could pose serious challenges for UK universities, which heavily depend on international students for both enrollment and financial stability. The drop in numbers threatens to exacerbate existing financial pressures on institutions that rely on the higher fees paid by overseas students to maintain their operations.
DROP IN DEPENDANT VISAS
The recent decline in student visas issued to Indian and Nigerian nationals can largely be attributed to the UK government’s tightening of visa policies for dependents. As of January 2024, only research-based postgraduate students are allowed to bring their partners and children to the UK. This policy change has had a significant impact, leading to an 81% reduction in the number of dependent visas issued in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. According to UK Home Office data, only 11,675 dependent visas were granted during this period.
In the year ending June 2024, the total number of visas issued to student dependents fell to 94,253, a 39% decrease from the previous year. Despite this drop, the figure is still nearly six times higher than it was in 2019, reflecting the continued demand for UK education even amid stricter immigration controls.
The Tory government had raised the minimum annual salary required to bring a dependent to the UK, which took effect on April 11 as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to reduce legal migration. The income threshold was increased to GBP 29,000 (around Rs 30,21,174), a 55% hike from the previous requirement of GBP 18,600 (around Rs 19,37,718). There were also plans to further raise the threshold to GBP 38,700 (approximately Rs 41,31,486) by 2025.
The current UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has paused these plans, which is a relief for Indians looking to bring their families to the UK. The halt on further increases in the income threshold will ease some of the pressure on those planning to sponsor family members on a family visa, providing a more accessible path for many.
UK visas for Indian Students to Restriction on Family
In January 2024, the UK introduced stricter family visa regulations aimed at reducing high levels of migration. The final step in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to curb legal migration included raising the minimum income required to sponsor a family visa from £18,600 to £29,000—a 55% increase. By May 2024, these changes had a noticeable impact, with the number of dependents accompanying students to the UK dropping by nearly 80%. Additionally, there were over 26,000 fewer student visa applications between January and March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Increasing salary threshold
By early 2025, the UK planned to further increase the minimum income required to sponsor a family visa to £38,700, aligning it with the new salary threshold for a skilled worker visa. the newly elected Labour Party government has paused this decision, pending a review by the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to assess the impact of these income hikes.
Previously, the Conservative Party government had asserted that their immigration curbs would prevent approximately 300,000 people from arriving in the UK annually, reflecting their goal to significantly reduce legal migration.
Stricter visa policy for Indian professionals
The UK government is reportedly considering implementing stricter visa regulations for foreign IT, telecom and engineering professionals in an effort to reduce high levels of migration, according to a recent report by The Times of India.
Each year, thousands of Indian professionals in these fields migrate to the UK to fill crucial labor shortages. The proposed changes could include raising the minimum salary threshold for these sectors or imposing regional restrictions on where these professionals can work within the UK. These measures are part of the government’s broader strategy to manage immigration more tightly.
Prevention of visa switching
Starting January 2024, students were no longer allowed to switch their visa before completing their course, preventing people from using the route as a “backdoor to work in the UK. while the clamping down on institutions which undermine the UK’s reputation by selling immigration, not education the government had said in a statement.
IMPACT OF UK’S NEW VISA RULES
- The latest figures show 110,006 sponsored UK study visa grants were issued to Indian nationals, down by 32,687 compared to the previous year.
- This drop coincides with stricter rules on student visa holders’ rights to bring dependent family members, which were introduced earlier this year.
- The decline in Indian students is particularly concerning for UK universities. which rely on the higher fees paid by international students to ease financial pressures.
- The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK pointed to a review into the Graduate Route visa last year, which caused uncertainty among prospective Indian students.
Sanam Arora, NISAU UK chair, emphasized the need to reassure Indian students that the UK remains a welcoming destination.
