Tag: UK VISA

U.K. Cuts Post-study Work Period For Foreign Students

 

The United Kingdom on Tuesday cut the post-study work period from two years to 18 months for foreign students, including Nigerians, from January 2027.

This was disclosed by the UK’s Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, on October 14 while explaining the reasons for the need for immigrants to pass an A-level standard of English Language.

According to a statement posted on the UK Government’s website on Wednesday, the time for international students to find a graduate-level job after completing their studies will be reduced to 18 months from the current two years.

The statement read, “Laid in changes before Parliament this week, the measures form part of the government’s flagship immigration white paper and Plan for Change to deliver on the priorities of working people for tighter control of who comes to this country while continuing to attract top global talent.

“The time for international students to find a graduate-level job after completing their studies will also be cut to 18 months from the current two years. The immigration skills charge (ISC), which is paid by employers sponsoring skilled foreign workers and reinvested in training the domestic workforce, is being raised by 32%.

“The ISC increase is the first since 2017 and will be used to boost investment in British workers and reduce reliance on overseas recruitment. The Parliamentary process to increase the charge will begin later this week. To ensure graduates contribute effectively to the economy, the maximum post-study stay will be reduced to 18 months from the current 2 years for most from 1 January 2027. It comes after data clearly showed that many holders had not transitioned into graduate-level employment as intended.”

Recently, the UK announced that an additional fee is expected to be passed on to overseas students, making studying in the UK more expensive than before.

The tuition fees for undergraduate degrees in the 2025/26 academic year have already risen by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535.

Additionally, stricter English language requirements are being introduced for international students entering the country for study, work, and settlement.

Data shows fewer foreign students opted for the UK as a study option in 2024.

UK immigration rules were modified in January 2024 to prevent students from bringing dependants, except for those studying postgraduate research courses or courses with government-funded scholarships.

 

Leave Before Visa Expires, U.K. Warns Foreign Students

 

Tens of thousands of international students in the United Kingdom are being directly contacted by the government with a warning: leave the country when your visa expires or face removal, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

The Home Office has launched a new campaign aimed at tackling what it describes as an “alarming” rise in student visa holders attempting to stay in the UK by claiming asylum.

In a first-of-its-kind move, the government is now proactively contacting students via text and email to issue formal warnings about the consequences of overstaying.

The campaign came amid growing concern in Whitehall about students using the asylum system as a way to remain in the country after their studies end.

“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” the messages read, as reported by BBC.

According to Home Office data, around 15 per cent of asylum applications last year—approximately 16,000—were submitted by people who originally arrived on student visas. While the data does not specify how many of those were made after visas had expired, officials say the pattern is clear enough to warrant immediate action.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some students are “claiming asylum even when things have not changed in their home country.”

She added, “We obviously will do our bit to support genuine refugees, but if nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course.”

Cooper also said the growing number of students entering the asylum system is placing added pressure on already overstretched asylum accommodation and hotel services.

Around 10,000 students whose visas are nearing expiry have already received direct warnings.

A further 130,000 students and their families are expected to be contacted in the coming months, coinciding with the busy autumn intake period, according to the BBC.

The message being sent reads in full, “If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused.

“Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support.

“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” as reported by BBC.

The crackdown is part of a broader tightening of immigration rules under the Labour government. In May, the Home Office announced that universities would face stricter thresholds on visa refusal and course completion rates to maintain their ability to sponsor international students.

While much public attention has focused on small boat arrivals across the Channel, ministers are increasingly concerned about legal entrants—such as students—who later switch to the asylum system.

Of the 108,000 asylum applications made in the UK last year, around 40,000 came from people who arrived legally, including on work, study, or visitor visas. By contrast, about 35,000 came from small boat crossings, BBC reported.

Among legal entrants, student visa holders made up the largest group seeking asylum, with numbers almost six times higher than in 2020. Although the figure has since fallen by 10 per cent, the Home Office wants further reductions.

Cooper acknowledged that student visa asylum claims account for just over 10 per cent of total applications but insisted that “to fix the system, we must tackle every single bit of it.”

The government has also moved to reduce the amount of time overseas graduates can stay in the UK after completing their courses, from two years to 18 months.

The number of successful asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders has also declined, according to recent Home Office figures.

 

New Management Takes Over UK Visa Application Centres In Nigeria

 

The United Kingdom Embassy in Nigeria announced on Tuesday a change in its visa application centres, with a new supplier taking over their management.

The transition, which is expected to affect some applicants, may result in changes to the locations where documents are submitted and collected.

In a statement via its X (formerly Twitter) account, the Embassy informed the public that affected customers would be contacted directly via email with specific instructions.

“The supplier of our visa application centres in Nigeria is changing. During this transition, some customers may submit and collect their documents from different locations. You will be contacted via email if this affects you,” the statement said.

The visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos, which have been facilitating the process, remain operational in those cities.

Applicants are reminded to book appointments before visiting these centres.

The Embassy advised those seeking further information to visit the official visa application website.

 

U.K. Visa Applications Drop 35% After New Immigration Rules

 

The United Kingdom has witnessed a dramatic 35 per cent drop in visa applications over the past year, following the introduction of stricter immigration policies aimed at reducing the country’s intake of foreign nationals.

According to official figures released by the Home Office on Thursday, August 8, 2024, the number of visa applications fell from 141,000 to 91,000 after new rules came into effect in January 2024.

The policy changes, introduced in December 2023, specifically targeted international students, restricting them from bringing dependants unless they were enrolled in postgraduate research courses or government-funded scholarship programs.

The move was part of the government’s broader effort to curb immigration, which reached a record high of 1.22 million last year.

The impact of these restrictions has been particularly pronounced in the education sector.

Between January and July 2024, study visa applications dropped by 16 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

More significantly, there was an 81 per cent decline in visa applications from the dependants of students, reflecting the sharp effect of the new rules.

The healthcare sector has also been severely affected, with applications for Health and Care Worker visas plummeting by 80 per cent during the same period.

This followed a surge in applications aftercare workers were added to the skilled worker visa category in 2022.

However, the trend reversed after August 2023, with the number of applications falling to just 2,900 in July 2024.

“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 skilled worker visa. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 2,900 in July 2024,” the report said.

The Executive co-chairman of the National Care Association, Nadra Ahmed, expressed concern that many healthcare workers are now opting to relocate to countries with less restrictive immigration policies.

Despite these challenges, the UK government remains steadfast in its commitment to controlling immigration, while simultaneously focusing on developing a “homegrown workforce” to address the nation’s shortage of skilled workers.