PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Immigration: Overseas Students (25 May 2023)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing all international students to bring dependents to the UK with them.

Asked by:
Lee Anderson (Reform UK)

As set out in the Home Secretary’s written statement made on 23 May 2023, the Government remains committed to bringing down net migration to sustainable levels. The immigration statistics highlighted an unexpected rise in the number of dependants coming to the UK alongside international students which the system was not intended for. We are therefore taking steps to remove the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate courses currently designated as research programmes. Those affected by this package will predominantly be dependants of students who make a more limited contribution to the economy than students or those coming under the Skilled Worker route. Restricting the ability to bring dependants under the Student route to the aforementioned cohort of international students also ensures we continue to attract the brightest and best talent the world has to offer.

We keep all our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they best serve the UK and reflect the public’s priorities.

Answered by:
Robert Jenrick (Reform UK)
9 June 2023