Work Vs Student Visa: Here’s how UK’s new rule will affect Nigerians
The ‘Japa’ dreams of many young Nigerians appear to have been dealt a considerable blow following the UK government’s release of new restrictions on student visa routes.
Nigerians, known for their constant desire for a better life, often leave the country to pursue their dreams abroad. The quest to leave Nigeria has seen a spike in recent times. A report by the Africa Polling Institute (API) reveals that 73% of Nigerians were looking to emigrate with their families in 2021 – a 41% increase compared to the 2019 results. However, the clannish nature of Nigerians, which makes them prioritise and maintain strong connections within their extended family and allows family members to tag along in their ‘Japa’ adventures, has raised eyebrows in the UK government.
“New government restrictions on student visa routes will substantially cut net migration by restricting the ability for international students to bring family members on all but post-graduate research routes and banning people from using a student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK,” says a joint statement from the UK’s Home Office and the Department for Education on May 23, 2023.
Why were UK’s new rule restrictions proposed?
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK estimated that within a period of one year from June 2021 to June 2022, net migration was recorded at 500,000. The ONS said that while almost half a million student visas were issued in 2022, the number of dependants of overseas students has increased by 750% since 2019, totaling 136,000 people.
While the number of people living in the UK rose by 5.9% within the last decade, more than half (60%) of the increase in the population between 2001 and 2020 was due to the direct contribution of net migration. The Office for National Statistics projected that the UK population would grow to 72.4 million by mid-2045 from 67 million, with net migration averaging 245,000 in the long term, starting from mid-2027. This projected growth is amidst 8.7% inflation (April 2023), which saw prices for bread, cereal, and chocolate pushed to a 45-year high. Some UK citizens have blamed legal or illegal migration for some of the hard times the country is experiencing.
Implications of the UK’s New Rule on Nigerian Students
According to data from the ONS, 44,195 Nigerians were issued student visas for the 2021/2022 academic session to study in the UK. Punch reported that 60,923 dependents migrated to the UK during this period. While Neusroom is yet to independently verify the figure, it is common practice for Nigerians and other nationals like India and Pakistan, among others, not only to bring their friends and family to the UK using their student visas but also to use it as an avenue to start working in the country.
The work visa, also known as the Tier 2 General Visa, is the main work visa category in the UK for skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. It allows individuals to work for a specific employer in a skilled job role. For the work visa to be granted, the employer needs to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to support the applicant’s application.
The new student visa route issued by the UK government, which will take effect from January 2024, will prevent Nigerians and other overseas students studying in the country from making a switch to work visas while still studying. Student visa holders are allowed some work permissions in the UK. They can work up to 20 hours per week and full-time during holidays.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that the new restrictions are in line with the government’s commitment to reduce net migration and better protect the UK’s public services.
“The UK is a top destination for the brightest students to learn at some of the world’s best universities. But we have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of student dependents being brought into the country with visas,” she said.
Braverman added, “It is time for us to tighten up this route to ensure we can cut migration numbers and meet the government’s pledge to the British people to reduce net migration. This is the fair thing to do to allow us to better protect our public services while supporting the economy by allowing the students who contribute the most to keep coming here.”
However, while the present UK administration led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has continued to seek ways to tighten migration, with the narrative on the negative effect of migration on the economy, a report by SBM Intelligence shows that Nigerian students and their dependents contributed about £1.93 billion to the nation’s economy in 2021 alone.
While the visa restrictions are expected to reduce the number of Nigerians migrating to the UK in the coming years, some Nigerians believe it is a wake-up call for the Nigerian government to urgently take proactive measures to tackle unemployment, especially with the hope of an incoming administration that will be inaugurated on May 29, 2023.
