UK records 80% drop in dependants migrants after visa system change

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has revealed that the recent action to mitigate the number of dependants in the country has seen a significant fall as they have now reduced by 80 percent.

Sunak in a post on X said that the figures mean that his changes to the country’s visa system were yielding results.

“The number of students bringing family members and dependants to the UK was too high. This wasn’t fair,” Sunak said.

“Our changes are working—student dependant numbers are now down by 80 percent.”

The UK government earlier called for a reduction in the number of dependents, or close family members accompanying overseas students effective January 2024.

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UK Home Secretary James Cleverly said the ever-spiraling numbers were eroding the British people’s confidence in their immigration system, burdening public services, and suppressing wages.

“When I promised to deliver the largest-ever cut in legal migration, I knew we must also work to show the impact of our action as soon as practically possible,” Cleverly said.

“This data shows a significant fall in numbers on the first of our measures to take effect whilst underlining why necessary action was taken to cut unsustainable numbers of care worker dependents.”

Cleverly said there is more still to come in current government’s plans to cut migration.