International students are reportedly avoiding studying in the UK. New data released by the UK Home Office show a big dip in study visa applications in 2024.
UK has introduced several changes to Immigration Rules impacting ‘Skilled Worker’, ‘Health and Care Worker’, ‘Sponsored study’ and ‘Partner’ visas.
From January 1, 2024, international students were no longer able to bring dependants on all but postgraduate research courses and courses with government-funded scholarships.
From April 4, 2024, the baseline general salary to be sponsored for a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa increased from £26,200 to £38,700, while the ‘going rate’ minimum salary specific to each job has also gone up significantly. A list of jobs for which it is possible to sponsor someone for a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa at a reduced minimum salary was reduced and renamed the Immigration Salary List.
From April 11, 2024, the minimum income normally required to sponsor someone for a spouse/partner visa was increased from £18,600 to £29,000. Further, from March 11, 2024, social care workers arriving from overseas are no longer allowed to bring dependants (that is, partners and children) on their visas.
Applications from ‘Sponsored study’ visa main applicants from January to September 2024 (350,700) were 16% lower than January to September 2023. Between July and September 2024 ( the peak season), there were 49,000 (16%) fewer applications, from main applicants, compared to the same 3 months in 2023.
There were 17,800 applications from dependants of students between January and September 2024, 85% fewer than January to September 2023. This followed the rule changes that came into effect in January 2024 which prevent students from bringing dependants, apart from those studying postgraduate research courses or courses with government-funded scholarships.
The monthly number of Skilled Worker visa applications from main applicants was broadly stable between January 2022 and March 2024 at around 6,000 applications per month. Applications temporarily increased to 10,100 in April 2024, before reducing again and falling to 4,200 in September 2024.
There were 37,900 applications for Skilled Work visas between April and September 2024 – 6% more than in the same 6 months in 2023.
Applications for dependants on the Skilled Worker route were broadly in line with the main applicants. There were 31,600 applications between April and September 2024, a 14% increase compared to the same 6 months in 2023.
Monthly numbers of Health and Care Worker visa applications from main applicants increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023, following the addition of care workers to the Shortage Occupation List. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 2,100 in September 2024.
There were 15,200 applications between April and September 2024, following the policy changes affecting social care workers and their family members – 83% fewer than the same 6 months in 2023. There were 30,600 applications for dependents on the Health and Care route between April and September 2024 – 74% fewer than the same 6 months in 2023.