‘Foreign students won’t be able to take family members to UK’: PM Rishi Sunak

UNITED KINGDOM: UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak has revealed that as from January 1st, 2024 (yesterday), majority of international students cannot bring family members to the UK.

He said ; “from today, the majority of foreign university students cannot bring family members to the UK. In 2024, we’re already delivering for the British people,” he said while sharing a post from the Home Office.

The UK’s Home Office said that it was fully committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration.

“From today, new overseas students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Postgraduate research or government-funded scholarships students will be exempt.”

In July last year, the Sunak government published changes to the Immigration Rules which affect international students studying in the UK. As per the new rules, from January 2024, international students in the UK will no longer be able to bring dependants on their Student visa, unless they are studying a postgraduate research programme.

Also, from 17 July last year, international students are no longer permitted to switch to work route visas unless they have completed their course.

Last month, the UK Prime Minister said that immigration was too high and that his government was taking radical action to bring it down.

“These steps will make sure that immigration always benefits the UK.” He said his government was banning overseas students from bringing their families to the UK unless they were on postgraduate research degrees.

“Stopping immigration undercutting British workers. Scrapping 20 per cent going rate salary discounts offered for shortage occupations,” he said.

In December 2023, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly announced a plan to slash migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system, delivering the biggest-ever reduction in net migration.

“Together, this package will mean around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would now not be able to come.”