With a 20% decline in net migration in the year ending June 2024, the UK has faced a serious setback. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that net migration to the UK is 728,000, a decrease from June 2023 when it was 906,000.
The prior government’s crackdown on dependents is largely to blame for this reduction. A rule prohibiting the majority of overseas students from bringing dependents to school was enacted in May 2023. Students enrolled in government-sponsored postgraduate programs or those pursuing research-based programs are exempt from this regulation, which went into effect on January 1, 2024.
The ONS observes that starting in July 2024, data will more accurately represent the effects of this policy change. But the first figures indicates a significant decline in dependents on study-related visas from outside the EU.
The UK government has said that it will release a whitepaper detailing its immigration reduction strategy. “As the ONS outlines, almost one million people visited Britain in the year ending June 2023,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Compared to 2019, that represents four times the migration numbers. The Russell Group has voiced concerns about how the new regulations will affect the number of international students, claiming that UK universities will lose out on the diverse range of experiences and viewpoints that international students bring.
It is unclear how these changes will affect the UK’s economy and school system in the long run as the country continues to negotiate its immigration laws.
