The UK government has released a new Immigration White Paper introducing significant reforms to the immigration system, including shorter graduate visa durations, stricter compliance rules for international student recruitment, and heightened English language requirements. The announcement comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer commits to stronger enforcement and aims to reduce net migration numbers.
Key changes include shortening the graduate visa route from two years to 18 months. Although speculation suggested the new policy might tie graduate visas strictly to professional jobs, the White Paper stops short of such specifics but signals forthcoming reforms to require graduates to work and contribute to social security post-graduation.
The government is also exploring a potential 6% tax on income universities earn from international students, intending to reinvest funds into higher education and skills development. Final decisions and details are expected in the autumn budget.
Measures to prevent student visa abuses are set to tighten, with institutions facing higher minimum compliance thresholds for course registration and completion rates. A new “red-yellow-green” rating system will identify institutions’ compliance levels, triggering targeted interventions where necessary, including caps on international student intake.
From now on, institutions must comply with a mandatory Agent Quality Framework when engaging recruitment agents to attract international students.
English language requirements will be introduced for dependents of international students, requiring family members to demonstrate progressive language proficiency to extend visas and eventually settle in the UK. Language requirements for skilled workers will increase from B1 to B2 level.
The White Paper also pledges stronger oversight of short-term English language courses to combat misuse of these visa routes, including tighter scrutiny of accrediting bodies.
Prime Minister Starmer emphasized the government’s goal of reducing net migration while improving skills levels and supporting British workers. Recent data shows net migration dropped by 20% in the year to June 2024 compared to the previous year, partly due to restrictions on dependents accompanying postgraduate students.
In addition, the White Paper proposes restoring the skill threshold for work visas to graduate level qualifications (RQF6), reversing the previous increase in low-skilled visa issuance. Occupations below this level will face strict limits unless there is strong evidence of labor shortages critical to industrial strategy, combined with employer efforts to improve domestic skills.
The government will also end the automatic right to settlement and citizenship after five years of residence. Instead, immigrants must reside for ten years and demonstrate significant economic and social contributions to qualify, with expedited paths for high-skill, high-contribution individuals such as nurses, doctors, engineers, and AI experts.
This White Paper marks the UK government’s most comprehensive attempt in recent years to overhaul immigration policy with a clear focus on skills, compliance, and reducing migration.
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