UK Sees Decline in Immigration Numbers, Driven by Drop in Student Dependent Visas

One of the main causes of the reduction in immigration to the UK has been the sharp decline in student dependent visas. Non-EU nationals made up 86% of the 1.2 million immigrants that arrived in the UK in the year ending June 2024, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics.

Changes to visa regulations implemented in January 2024 are to blame for the drop in student dependent visas. Unless they are engaged in postgraduate research programs, international students are prohibited from bringing dependents to the UK under the new regulations. Dependent visas have significantly decreased as a result of this adjustment, falling 69% year over year to 46,961.
Additionally, fewer student visas were granted, 392,969 were granted between October 2023 and September 2024, a 19% decrease from the previous year. These changes have had a particular impact on Indian students, who have made up a sizable portion of the international student population in the UK. Between March 2023 and March 2024, there was a 16% decrease in the quantity of student visas granted to Indian nationals.

The UK’s Office for National Statistics reports that the main drivers of non-EU immigration were humanitarian reasons (67,000), family (76,000), employment (417,000), study (375,000), and asylum (84,000).
Due to their heavy reliance on overseas tuition fees, UK institutions are predicted to be considerably impacted by the drop in the number of international students. Given that overseas students contribute billions to the UK economy annually, the decline in student enrollment is also anticipated to have an impact on the country’s economy.

Concerns have been raised by the education sector on how the changes to the visa regime may affect the recruitment of international students. International student applications decreased by 3% in 2023, according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), and further reduction is anticipated in 2024.
In conclusion, a major factor in the downturn in immigration to the UK has been the reduction in student dependant visas. With fewer student visas being granted and fewer dependent visas, the January 2024 changes to visa regulations have had a major effect on the recruitment of overseas students. In the upcoming years, these changes are probably going to have an impact on the UK economy and education sector.