Impact of UK Visa Changes on Indians: Insights from Former Students

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to control immigration numbers in the UK has led to an increase in the minimum income threshold required to sponsor a family member’s visa as a ‘dependent’. This change has raised concerns among those who have studied or worked in the UK, particularly Indian nationals.

Sanam Arora, founder of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK, expressed the importance of the Graduate visa for Indian students and its vital role in the UK’s international higher education system. The restriction on post-graduate research students bringing dependents has been identified as a significant setback, especially for women, by Anahita Masters, an Alumni of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

The minimum income requirement to bring dependents on a work visa has increased by 55% and is set to further rise next year. Social care workers are not permitted to bring any dependents, irrespective of their income level.

Additionally, student visa holders can no longer bring dependents to the UK, and there is ongoing concern about the potential impact on the Graduate route visa, which allows international students to stay in the UK for 2 years after graduating to find employment without requiring sponsorship. The latest immigration statistics show a surge in the number of Indians receiving work visas, raising concerns about the potential impact on university finances and the compensation from international students to the country’s universities.

The policy changes also pose a possible disadvantage for sole breadwinners and Indian women, particularly mothers. Removing the dependent clause for master’s level students is seen as a major setback for all students with dependents, especially women, as it creates significant challenges for mothers who may be studying in the UK.