The United Kingdom has implemented a new legislation that restricts Nigerian students and other international students studying in the UK from bringing their families as dependents, unless there are specific circumstances involved.
The objective of this law, according to reports by Sky News, is to reduce immigration numbers, which currently stand at approximately one million.
Under the new regulation, international students will no longer be allowed to switch from the student route to work routes before completing their studies. This measure aims to prevent the exploitation of the visa system.
Additionally, it was gathered that the maintenance requirement for students and dependents will undergo a review, and there will be a crackdown on unethical education agents who exploit inappropriate applications for immigration purposes rather than promoting education.
To allow sufficient time for students starting their courses in the UK to prepare and adjust to the new policy, this change will come into effect in January 2024.
In a ministerial statement published on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, and obtained by Sky News, Home Secretary Suella Braverman expressed concern over the unexpected increase in the number of dependents accompanying international students, as indicated by recent immigration statistics.