The UK government on Tuesday unveiled a fresh immigration crackdown targeted at international students, particularly those from India, addressing their eligibility to enter the country with dependent family members while enrolled at a British university.

Only overseas students enrolled in postgraduate programmes labelled as research programmes would be allowed to bring their family members, including young children and ageing parents, as dependents, according to Home Secretary Suella Braverman. In addition, the new rule made it impossible for overseas students to change their status from student to work before completing their studies.

The choice was taken in response to a sharp rise in the number of dependant visas granted to sponsored students, which increased from 16,000 in 2019 to 136,000 by the last year of 2022. The noteworthy updates are those.

International students cannot bring dependents with them

According to Braverman's statement, "This package includes: removing the right for international students to bring dependents unless they are enrolled in postgraduate courses that are currently designated as research programmes."

No changing lanes to go from studying to working

The new regulations prevent overseas students from transitioning from the student path into the job route before their studies are finished.

Put a stop to misleading education agents.

She also promised to take action against dishonest education brokers "who may be supporting inappropriate applications to sell immigration, not education".

Conditions for the graduate path remain the same.

"The graduate route's conditions remain the same... We are devoted to luring the finest and brightest individuals to the UK. In order to guarantee that the greatest and the brightest students may bring dependents to our top-tier colleges while continuing to lower net migration, we want to collaborate with universities over the following year to develop an alternate strategy.

Following consultation with the educational community and other important stakeholders, the new limits are anticipated to go into effect "as soon as possible."

What impact will it have on Indian students studying in the UK?

The majority of students won't be affected by proposals that limit the ability to bring dependents with them, but Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of Universities UK International (UUKi), the group that represents 140 UK universities, said more details about the programmes that are covered need to be known before an impact assessment can be done properly.

"However, we know that any adjustments would probably affect women and students from certain nations disproportionately. As a result, we urge the government to cooperate with the educational sector in limiting and monitoring the effect on certain student groups and institutions, which are already under significant financial strain," he added.

Indians are the largest cohort to obtain this visa, which was offered in July 2021, it should be mentioned. According to official figures for 2020–21, India had 87,045 first-year enrollees, which was less than China's 99,965 and more than Nigeria's 32,945.