A ground breaking whitepaper titled ‘Restoring Control Over Immigration System’ tabled by the government of the United Kingdom in May 2025. This white paper contains the government’s plan to restrict and control immigration policies in conformity with students’and workers’ visas. The reformation has been sought in order to cut down the net migration in the UK which stood around 745,000 in 2022.
As observed, a steep decline can be witnessed both in the case of workers and students visa rate. UK home office data has recorded a stark 50 percent decline ( from 162,655 in 2023 to 81,463) in the case of workers and a 42 percent drop (from 159,371 to 92,355) in student visas.
This sharp decline has emerged as a disenfranchisement among Indian students aspiring to study abroad. Stricter policy reforms including:
● Students are barred from bringing dependents.
● Salary hikes.
● Ban on overseas recruitment of care workers.
● Raised skill requirement.
● Making visas accessible to RQF level.
These moves have barred the students and workers’ cohort from entering the UK. Following the footprints of the USA, the UK also aims to redraw the global map of education and migration. The Indian diaspora makes around 162,655 visas, a large chunk in UK’s foreign nationals. Stricter visa norms and stringent levels of skill requirement have shrunk the dream of Anglo American aspirants and reshaped their choices in the form of Melbourne, Toronto and Vienna.
Emerging Stand-by’s
Universities in other countries are emerging as new standbys for Indian professionals. Australia has relaxed visa categories for skilled workers. Canada leverages in the form of post-study work options, and Austria seeks enhanced cooperation by post-study work options as well as the announcement of PhD programmes at a reasonable price.
In a recent venture, the collaboration of TU Austria (the Association of three technical universities of Austria) with India. The trajectory of Indian students aspiring to study abroad has provided them with the best opportunity to make their dreams a reality. These initiatives aim to bring brilliant Indian minds to an international forum, allowing diversity to shape and enhance their abilities. Which formally follows the structure of UK and US university campuses.
Sources
Government of the United Kingdom, (2025). Immigration white paper to reduce migration and strengthen border. Home Office. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/immigration-white-paper-to-reduce-migration-and-strengthen-border
Tiwari, Trisha.(2025). After the US, is the UK also losing its appeal for Indian students and professionals? Recent visa data suggests so. Times of India. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/study-abroad/after-the-us-is-the-uk-also-losing-its-appeal-for-indian-students-and-professionals-the-visa-data-suggests-so/articleshow/123333381.cms
Chaudhury, Deepanjan Roy. (2025). Austria launches landmark initiative for Indian students strengthening mobility programme.The Economic Times. Retrieved from https://m.economictimes.com/nri/study/austria-launches-landmark-initiative-for-indian-students-strengthening-mobility-prog/articleshow/123368621.cms
The Red Pen. (2025). UK Immigration Policy Changes for Students: What You Need to Know in 2025. Retrieved from https://theredpen.in/blog/uk-immigration-policy-changes-for-students-what-you-need-to-know-in-2025/
The Economic Times, (2025). UK tightens student Visa rules: shorter stays, stricter checks, fewer perks. Retrieved from https://m.economictimes.com/nri/study/uk-tightens-student-visa-rules-shorter-stays-stricter-checks-fewer-perks/articleshow/121616788.cms
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