“It is yet another mode of uncontrolled and uncapped migration, often, feeding the demand for low-skilled and low-paid workers.”
Nigeria Abroad
Data from the UK Home Office shows that the number of dependents of foreign students granted visas has increased five-fold in just three years, from 13,664 in 2019 to 81,089 in the year ending June 2022.
Nigeria and India were the countries with the highest number of students bringing dependents: 34,000 Nigerian students accounted for 31,898 dependents, while 93,100 Indian students accounted for 24,916.
This revelation comes as UK universities have moved to shore up their income by boosting the number of foreign students, who now are increasingly bringing in relatives as well. Whereas the ratio of dependents to students granted visas was 26 to 1 in 2019, it was five to one in the year to June.
It is understood that Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, is studying the data as part of her review of immigration which will aim to bring down the headline figure while also ensuring it boosts growth, per the UK Telegraph.
Those with low skills could fall foul of moves to ensure that migrants seeking visas demonstrate they have a meaningful impact on economic growth by increasing GDP per capita.
Net migration is running at 230,000 people a year and, last month, Home Office figures revealed that the number of visas for foreign nationals to live…
