Impact of UK Visa Changes on Indian Former Students: What They Have to Say

The UK government, as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to control immigration numbers, recently increased the minimum income threshold required to sponsor a family member’s visa as a dependent. This move is expected to have a significant impact on Indian students and workers who make up a large portion of visa recipients in the UK.

Sanam Arora, founder and chairperson of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK, highlighted the significance of the Graduate visa for Indian students, emphasizing its importance within the UK’s international higher education system. Alumni of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Anahita Masters, expressed concerns about the restrictions on post-graduate research students bringing dependents, particularly noting the setback for students, especially women, with dependents.

The minimum income required to bring dependents on a work visa has increased significantly, with further planned increases in the near future. Social care workers are now also unable to bring any dependents to the UK, regardless of their income level.

This change joins a series of restrictive visa rules, including the recent prohibition on students bringing dependents to the UK. Furthermore, the looming review of the Graduate route visa has caused apprehension among Indian students and educational institutions.

Ms Arora expressed concerns about the potential financial impact on universities and the research sector should the Graduate route visa be eliminated. In addition to the broader implications, there are concerns about the specific disadvantages faced by sole breadwinners and Indian women, particularly mothers.

Ms Masters shared her personal experience as a mature student and mother, highlighting the significant setback the removal of the dependent clause for Master’s level students poses for students with dependents, particularly women with young children. Overall, these changes in visa regulations are expected to have widespread effects on the Indian community in the UK, particularly students, workers, and their families.