Recently, the most concerning news for international students is undoubtedly “the difficulty of the government’s hellish work visa uk“.
According to official figures, the total net migration to the UK in 2022 will be a record high of 745,000 people. As part of its plan to curb immigration, the media has revealed that the UK government will raise the minimum wage required for foreign workers to obtain work visas.
Home Secretary James Cleverly told the House of Commons on Monday that the minimum wage requirement for UK work permits is set to rise significantly from £26,200 to over £38,700.
What is the concept of this figure?
The average median wage for full-time workers in the UK is currently £34,963, but the new work visa policy threshold is higher than that.
Policies of Work Visa UK
Commonly announced policies also include the following:
● A review of the Short List Shortage Occupations list. The 20 per cent discount on the current minimum wage will end.
● The re-announcement of a 66 per cent increase in the IHS Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1035.
● International students will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK. Unless they are studying a designated research-based programme. (Effective from January next year)
● Stopped the companion visa for bringing family members when recruiting healthcare professionals from overseas. Only healthcare organisations regulated by the Care Quality Commission CQC will be eligible to sponsor and apply for work visas for overseas healthcare professionals.
● The Migration Advisory Committee MAC will re-examine the assessment of the graduate visa. To prevent abuse of this visa and protect UK higher education’s integrity and quality.
This series of tightened immigration policies has now been officially announced. Downing Street is calling it the toughest ever restrictions on legal immigration.
The UK Home Office argues that this follows the previously announced decree banning most overseas students from bringing their families with them. This group of migrants will account for around half of the total reduction in immigration.
International Students and UK Work Visas
But ……
International students really don’t have to worry. It’s true that the minimum salary threshold for a Skilled Worker Visa will be raised to £38,700, but other groups such as international students will be able to get a 30% discount. Under the new policy, you can get a work visa with a salary of £27,090!
Obtaining a UK work visa and student uk accommodation may seem unrelated at first glance. However, they are deeply connected in several ways. Firstly, the strict requirements of a work visa usually require proof of stable accommodation. This can be a challenge for international students in the UK. Study visas are temporary in nature. As such, it is not uncommon for students to face barriers to obtaining permanent uk housing. This, in turn, can affect their eligibility for work visas. In addition, the availability of accommodation in major UK cities such as Leicester is tight and cheaper student accommodation may not be easy to find. These may affect a student’s ability to be financially self-sufficient during the work visa application process. Therefore, finding a UK accommodation will make the UK work visa come easy.
Officials have also announced that if you fulfil any 1 of the following conditions. You will be eligible for a 30% discount – £27,090 for a work visa:
● Under 26 years old at the time of application.
● Currently studying for a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in the UK, etc. Or have just completed your studies to obtain a degree within the last 2 years.
● Studying and preparing to take a special trade qualification (refer to gov.uk official for list)
In addition, most of the autumn and spring graduate schemes in the UK offer starting salaries higher than £27,090. So it seems that the majority of British students meet at least one of the above conditions. Then you can close your eyes and apply for a work visa in the UK without any worries!
Another point of emphasis: the 20 per cent salary threshold reduction for Shortage Occupations on the Shortage Occupation List. This time it is going to be abolished outright.
That is to say, as long as your type of work is on the list, you only need 80% of the salary to apply for a work visa, i.e. £30,960. But now the policy will be cancelled directly. And the official will also review all the jobs on the list and drastically reduce…
Looking at the countries that give tens of thousands of work visas are India, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh. As well as the Philippines and Sri Lanka are developing and densely populated countries.
As a result, the UK government has not only tightened its policy on labour visas. But has also increased the salary requirements for dependent and family visas.
On top of this, in the 2022/23 academic year, for the first time ever, India overtook China as the number one study country for UK overseas students.142,848 student visas were signed by Indian students in the September 2022 – September 2023 period. That’s 50,000 more directly than the previous year. Chinese student visas decreased slightly to 107,670.
Ditto for bringing in dependents due to studying, with India and Nigeria taking the number one spot. Doubling every year, the UK government is simply desperate.
As a result, Home Secretary James Cleverly claimed. A series of new immigration cuts announced this year will reduce net migration by 300,000 people. Hundreds of thousands of migrants who currently enter the UK legally on visas will also be prevented from entering the UK due to non-compliance with the requirements when they are implemented next spring.
After all, there are so many universities in the UK that the government is unlikely to do anything to disadvantage international students. Most students will still be able to apply for a work visa!
