Sometime last month, in April 2024, you know, the ONS released figures on the number of student visa applications in the UK, and those figures showed that there’s a decrease in the number of applications by 80 per cent between January to April 2024, and even though there’s now a decrease in the number of people applying for student visa in the UK, now there’s another publication published on gov. uk saying that new measures, you know, is going to put in place to further tackle student visa abuse, and you know, according to what is on gov. uk at the moment, it says that new proposals will further crack down on student visas, ensuring only genuine students can come to the UK. Now, routes will be kept under review. Now, this was published on the 23rd of May 2024.
I’m just going to mention some of the things in that publication, my thoughts around these, and what people need to do when it comes to moving to the UK or living in the UK as an international student.
Swap Money. Now, if you’re currently in the UK, and you’re looking at transferring money from Pounds to Nehra, Nehra back to Pounds, or Pounds to 30 other currencies, then you want to download SwapMoney.
Now, SwapMoney allows you to make a transfer to your beneficiary at no cost, and the beneficiary also gets the funds immediately. I’ve used SwapMoney for a couple of months now, and my transactions and money transfers are going smoothly. So if you’re looking at transferring money, then SwapMoney is the app you should download.
One of the other benefits of downloading or using SwapMoney for your money transfer is that you get to experience real-time exchange rates. You can also carry out dual beneficiary payments, and ultimately, when you refer people to SwapMoney, you also get the benefit, you know, money reward on your transfer. So what are you waiting for? Just go on Google Play Store, and Apple Store, and download SwapMoney.
Register an account using my referral code, Daniel J. It is one of the most seamless, you know, registration processes to open an account for your money transfer. So get that app downloaded on Google Play Store, and Apple Store, and start experiencing a seamless money transfer from the UK. A couple of days ago, the Home Secretary and Education Secretary announced new proposals to ensure the UK’s world-leading higher education sector is used for education and not as a gateway, you know, to immigration.
Now, with options to go further remaining under consideration. Now, this will deliver on the commitments to lower overall levels of migration while maintaining the UK’s leading status as a world-class destination for higher education and attracting the brightest and the best international students. So basically, what the Home Office Secretary and the Education Secretary are trying to do is to ensure that, you know, the student visa in the UK is not being abused and people coming to the UK are genuine and their major purpose is to study.
And some of the things they’re planning or what they’re proposing are going to make the UK no longer a destination country for international students. We’re going to be looking through all of those thoughts now and I’m going to also share my thoughts around this. Now, the proposals will relate to the recruitment of international students, tracking down rogue recruitment agents who encourage people to apply to British Universities by mandating universities to sign up to a stringent framework for agents.
So, it means that you know, there are so many recruitment agents that might not be able to, you know, recruit international students into the UK anymore. And, you know, some universities, I know a couple of universities who are beginning to, like, streamline and, you know, ending contracts with recruitment agencies from sub-countries at the moment. And it means because the Home Office, the Home Office are trying to make sure that, you know, the recruitment process of getting international students into UK universities is well streamlined and they are paying a lot of attention to this.
Now, proper compliance standards for institutions recruiting students from overseas will be introduced. Now, those who accept international students would then fail to pass our visa checks, enrol, or complete their course will risk losing their license. So, it means that you know, when international students come into the UK and they don’t finish their program, I think this has been in existence before, or it’s in existence at the moment.
You know, students applying to certain universities, the number of visa approvals also influence, you know, the ability of those universities to be able to keep their license. So, for example, if a university, you know, offers admission to, let’s say, about, let’s say, about 20,000 students and half of those students were unable to get their visa, it affects the license of that university. So, that’s been, like, a norm, a standard.
That’s why most universities now, before you even get your admission letter, or you get your cards, they do, like, an interview and ask for your bank statement, all the documents you’re going to provide, or most of the documents you’re going to provide for your visa application, for them to do that check, to be sure that you’re eligible to get a student visa, just to, you know, help them still keep their license. So, more proper compliance is going to be put in place going forward to ensure that universities are giving admission to students who are coming in to study. Now, one of the things they’re planning to, you know, implement now is to increase the financial maintenance fee.
Now, based on what is on Gov. UK at the moment, it says that the financial maintenance requirements will be raised, so international students will have to prove their financial self-sufficiency, and, you know, they will have to, the government is already reviewing English language assessments with the objectives to standardize independent assessments, ensuring all international students are equipped with the skills to understand their course materials, or they should, they shouldn’t expect a place in UK university. So, the whole idea is just to ensure that people coming to the UK are coming because they want to study, and they’ve got all the prerequisites ticked off, you know before they are given admission or a place to study in any of the British universities. Now, restrictions on remote delivery will also ensure all overseas students are predominantly undertaking face-to-face courses.
Now, because of COVID, most universities, like, migrated to, you know, online or remote learning. Now, what the government is saying now is that anyone coming to the UK to study will be complied, or will be, you know, would have to undergo there, you know, their studies or their classes face-to-face, and I think it’s already happening because most universities now if you’re coming in to study, you get to have your lectures face-to-face. So, yeah, I think they’re just trying to, like, reinforce that particular, you know, decision to make sure everyone goes to class for their, you know, their program.
Now, the UK education secretary said, I am proud that British universities have a fantastic reputation both at home and abroad, and it is, you know, a testament to the quality of education that they offer, you know, that so many people aspire to study in this country, as said by the education secretary. He also said you know, it is a right, it is right that we strike the balance between controlling immigration and making sure the UK remain the go-to place for students around the world, supporting our brilliant universities and enabling the best and the brightest to study here. So, according to them, they are trying to attract more international students, however, only the brightest and, you know, the best, just the kind of people they’re looking for to come into the UK.
Now, the Migration Advisory Committee warned that rogue recruitment agents pose a threat to the integrity of the immigration system, with poor practice exploiting students and graduate visa holders’ mis-sold UK university education. Now, since migrants on student visas transition directly into a graduate route, immediate action is necessary. The government also remains concerned about the route is not, concerned that the route is not attracting the highest earners who contribute to their economy.
After analysis from HMRC and Home Office showed that a quarter of graduates’ visa holders were not found to be in PE employment at any point during the financial year ending 2023, and those who were, the majority, 63%, were not in PE employment for the full year. So, they are also concerned that most people who are finishing their program and getting into the job market through the graduate visa route are not in full employment and they’re not contributing to the, you know, the taxpayer pocket, and that’s one major concern for them. And, I think it’s not the student issue, it’s not something that the students don’t want to, but the UK job market is a bit competitive and, you know, there are usually not many opportunities for people who are coming in as international students, because most organizations will tell you, oh, because you’re in a graduate visa, it’s like a limited stay, they wouldn’t be able to give you a shot, and many of them are not willing to sponsor, coupled to the increase in, you know, the whole salary threshold requirements.
So, many students are finding it difficult to, you know, get a job, which I believe is one of the things contributing to the, you know, their analysis that 63% of people who are, you know, moving to the graduate route visas, you know, were not in PE employment for the full year. So, yeah, that’s some of the things the government is trying to put into place now, and it’s important to make sure that everyone is informed, so that whenever you’re making any decision now, you’re making an informed decision, knowing exactly what is happening and what, you know, the government is planning around immigration.
Click the Next button below to read more or explore another immigration opportunity
Thank you.
