The political landscape in the UK has undergone a significant shift, with the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, assuming power after 14 years of Conservative rule under Rishi Sunak. This change has brought a glimmer of hope for Indian students, who faced a barrage of anti-immigrant policies under the previous government.
The Conservative Party, in its attempt to curb immigration, particularly focusing on the influx of migrants arriving in small boats across the English Channel, had implemented a series of restrictive measures. These included the phasing out of dependents’ visas for students, the controversial deportation of illegal immigrants to Rwanda, and the discontinuation of visas for dependents of care workers. Furthermore, the government had raised visa fees for international students by a substantial amount, reaching £127 in October 2023.
One of the most impactful policies was the re-evaluation of the Graduate Route work visa, also known as the post-study work visa, which grants two years of work rights to graduates of British universities. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), set up by the Conservative government, was tasked with reviewing the continuation of this visa. The review, conducted on May 14th, 2023, faced widespread criticism from both current and prospective international students. The Graduate Route visa, introduced in July 2021, allowed international students to work in any job without requiring sponsorship or work permits, effectively treating them like ordinary British citizens. The two-year validity of this visa was seen as a crucial incentive for students choosing to study in the UK. A British Council report highlighted that India was the largest source of Graduate Route participants globally, experiencing a significant 68% growth in 2023.
The Conservative government’s policies also targeted student dependents, effectively barring them from joining students in the UK from January 2024 onwards. This led to a dramatic 80% decrease in the number of dependents arriving between January and March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Moreover, the number of student visa applications declined by over 26,000. Further tightening restrictions, the government barred migrant care workers from bringing their partners and children to the UK from March 11, 2024 onwards. Additionally, international students were prohibited from switching from a student visa to a work visa before completing their studies.
The most controversial policy was the Rwanda plan, which aimed to deport all illegal immigrants to Rwanda, a small country in Central Africa. This agreement between the UK and Rwanda would see illegal immigrants sent to Rwanda for asylum processing, resettlement, and potentially permanent residency. The plan faced severe criticism from human rights organizations and sparked debate about the ethical and logistical challenges involved in such a policy.
The new Labour government’s stance on immigration remains to be seen, but the change in leadership has instilled hope among Indian students who hope for a more welcoming and less restrictive environment for international education and work opportunities in the UK.
