London, Thanasis Gavos

Postgraduate students from abroad studying at British universities will no longer be able to bring partners and children with them, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has announced.

The only exception is for students enrolled in graduate study programs identified as “research programs.”

The changes also include a ban on converting a student visa to a work visa before completing a course of study to “prevent abuse of the system”, Ms Braverman said.

The changes to the legislation will come into effect from January 2024, so that prospective students have time to prepare.

The announced changes are part of the British government’s efforts to reduce the number of immigrants in the country.

In 2022, 486,000 student visas were issued, up significantly from 269,000 in 2019.

Visas for dependent family members of international students totaled 136,000 over the same period, also significantly up from 16,000 in all of 2019.

Most involve people from India and Nigeria.

The government announcements came shortly before the release of the latest figures on net migration to the UK on Thursday, when a record number of migrant arrivals is expected to be announced.

In 2019, net immigration stood at 226,000 people, with the Conservative government pledging to bring that number down, as the party’s far-right wing is pushing to do.