International students enrolled at UK universities this month will only be able to enroll family members or dependents in postgraduate research programs and courses that are solely funded by government subsidies, due to new and more stringent UK visa restrictions.

The government of the United Kingdom has made several changes to its immigration and international student enrollment rules. The revised requirements for student visas are going to be in force starting in January 2024 and some of them are expected later during the year.

New UK Visa Rules

Firstly, international students in the UK will no longer be able to bring family members with them unless they are enrolled in a postgraduate research program beginning in January 2024. Secondly, unless they have completed their studies, international students are not allowed to switch to a work route visa after July 17.

New Dependants Rule in UK

Following an announcement made by the Home Office in May 2023, the Immigration Rules were amended on 17 July 2023. These changes affect Students who make immigration applications under the Student route, and who are studying a postgraduate course starting on or after January 1, 2024.

Such Students who are studying a postgraduate course starting on or after January 1, 2024, and who do not fall into any of the other categories of Students who can have dependants, can only have dependants in the UK (under the Student route) where, in addition to the other criteria already set out in this category, their course is one of the following:

A PhD course;

A doctoral qualification; or

A research-based higher degree

Switching from Student permission to work routes

As of 17 July 2023, those with Student immigration permission have new restrictions on switching out of the Student route into certain work routes. Affected routes include Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, Minister of Religion, Representative of Overseas Business, UK Ancestry, Global Talent, High Potential Individual, Scale-up, Innovator Founder, International Sportsperson, Creative Worker, Religious Worker, Charity Worker, International Agreement, and Government Authorised Exchange.

Those with Student immigration permission must now normally have completed their course of study before switching into any of the aforementioned routes. This will be confirmed by the course end date on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). PhD students will be able to switch into the aforementioned work routes after 24 months have passed from the course start date on your CAS.

Impact of New UK Visa Rules

These two significant modifications to the government’s rules are expected to impact international students enrolling in UK colleges. This new legislation will likely have a big influence on post-graduation possibilities and requirements for international student visas. Given that Enroly Data Insights data indicates a substantial fall in enrolled students in January 2024 compared to January 2023, the UK’s new regulations may deter international students from seeking education overseas.

Other Measures

Some other measures include:

UK government will increase the minimum earnings threshold for Skilled Worker visas from £26,200 to £38,700. Those coming on the Health and Social Care Visa route will be exempt from the £38,700 salary threshold applied to skilled workers.

Those who already have a family visa within the five-year partner route, or who apply before the minimum income threshold is raised, will continue to have their applications assessed against the current income requirement and will not be required to meet the increased threshold. The annual immigration health surcharge to rise by 66% to £1,035.

Immigration Salary List

The Immigration Salary List is expected to be commissioned in January 2024. The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be renamed the Immigration Salary List and it remains to be seen which of the current SOL occupations will remain on the list in line with the new salary thresholds. The current SOL will remain in place until the new salary thresholds are put in place in late Spring.