Tory visa restrictions on international students will not be scrapped under Labour, says education secretary

International student visa restrictions were introduced to prevent most international students bringing dependents with them to the UK

Labour’s education secretary has confirmed that the government does not plan to lift visa restrictions imposed on international students by the previous Conservative administration.

The restrictions, introduced in January, bar most overseas students from bringing family members to the UK.

Bridget Phillipson was asked in an interview with Sky News whether the visa rules should be reversed.

She responded: “We don’t intend to change that.”

The cabinet minister praised the “tremendous contribution” international students make to the country, both economically and in local communities.

She said: “In economic terms, into where it comes to the communities where they will come and live, Sunderland – where I’m a member of parliament – we have lots of students that come from around the world, often as postgraduate students, that study and make a contribution.

“But it’s also a big part of our reach around the world, the impact that we can have as a country, the business links, the trading links, the opportunities and the bridges that we build between nations.”

Universities have reported a sharp decline in applications from international students, following the introduction of the measures.

The government’s recent review of the graduate visa route, which allows international students to work in the UK for two to three years after their studies, has fueled concerns that more restrictions could be on the horizon.

In a joint letter to the home secretary Yvette Cooper, university groups including BUILA and the Russell Group cautioned that the additional restrictions could undermine the higher education sector, one of the country’s most successful export industries.

They argued that the current visa rules are damaging the UK’s reputation as a premier destination for international students.

The Home Office recently reported an almost 80 per cent reduction in the number of dependents accompanying international students to the UK.

More than 26,000 fewer student visa applications were made between January and March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to the report.