Impact of UK Visa Changes on Indian Former Students: Weighing In

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced a change in immigration policy in the UK. The government has raised the minimum income threshold for sponsoring a family member’s visa as a ‘dependent’.

This change is part of the effort to control immigration. The increase in the minimum income requirement has raised concerns for Indian students and workers in the UK.

The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK has expressed worries over the impact of the new policy, particularly on the Graduate visa, which is crucial for Indian students. Anahita Masters, an alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), highlighted the social implications of this change, particularly for post-graduate research students and their dependents, especially women.

The minimum income required to bring dependents on a work visa has surged by 55%, and further increases are planned for next year. Moreover, social care workers are not allowed to bring any dependents, regardless of their income levels.

These changes add to a series of restrictive visa rules that have been implemented recently, such as the ban on bringing dependents on student visas. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been tasked with reviewing the Graduate route visa, which allows international students to stay in the UK for 2 years after graduating to find employment without requiring sponsorship.

This review has raised concerns about the potential impact on university finances and the overall research environment, as international students heavily cross-subsidize domestic students and research at UK universities. Another aspect of the policy change is the potential disadvantage faced by sole breadwinners and Indian women, especially mothers.

The removal of the dependent clause for Master’s level students has been criticized for its potential impact on students with dependents, particularly women with young children. The changes in the immigration policy will likely have far-reaching implications for Indian students, workers, and their families in the UK.