Immigration at a record level...

[JP_]

136,000 yes, One hundred and thirty six THOUSAND dependants accompanied 'students' that arrived last year.

So, if you decided to do an engineering degree in Germany, and your wife didn't work, and you had the money to provide accommodation for both of you in Germany, you'd leave her on her own for 3 years, and pay for 2 properties?

Having been to a university where there were many overseas students, I can confirm that most do not bring anybody with them. They are sometimes more mature though, and sometimes married. I never witnessed 4 generations all coming, as you suggest.

Not saying it never happens, but strongly suspect tabloids have taken a single case and tried to make it out it is normal.

We need foreign investment for a universities to survive. And yes, we also need them to survive.

 

[JonathanM]

136,000, up from 16,000 in 2019, does sound like something odd is going on.

Some more detail about the claim would be good as the government has been giving inaccurate and misleading stats on migration figures recently.

A couple of reasons given here by the Beeb:

There were 135,788 visas granted to dependants last year, a rise from 54,486 in 2021, and more than seven times the 19,139 granted in 2020.
These figures have increased since study visa requirements for European Economic Area (EEA) students were introduced after Brexit.
Applications have also risen since rules were changed in 2019 to allow foreign students to stay in the UK for two years after graduating to look for jobs.

Many foreign students to lose right to bring family to UK

The announcement comes days before official statistics are expected to show record migration levels.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mottie]

So, if you decided to do an engineering degree in Germany, and your wife didn't work,

Now come on, how many people get married first and then decide to do a three or four year degree course in a foreign country?

 

[noseall]

That’s one of the reasons I voted for Brexit to stop the poor treatment of those that come to work here

You voted for Brexit because you are a typical crochety old gammon.
Not a soul on this forum believes you did anything so noble as to improve the lives of Albanian pickpockets.
Pull the other one, mottie.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Now come on, how many people get married first and then decide to do a three or four year degree course in a foreign country?

From my experience, the majority of students with dependants, are those doing postgraduate and masters courses.

 

[JonathanM]

From my experience, the majority of students with dependants, are those doing postgraduate and masters courses.

I've just been looking at the rules and it seems that it's only postgraduate students who can get visas for their dependants. It's limited to wife/partner and children under 18. They also have to show they have about £700 per month in savings available for each dependant, so over £6000 per dependant for a 9 month course. About 90% of the postgrads seem to be on short masters type courses. And then, once their dependants are here, they can all stay for two years after the course whilst the former student looks for work. We could probably do worse than letting in wealthy, educated families for a couple of years.

 

[Justin Passing]

We do have control of the borders - to a large extent? Of the 600,000, 50k (only) from HK, <20k from Afghan, 16k (only) from the rowboats, 60 odd thousand from Ukraine (less than most eu countries) ...

Who is allowed to come to live in the UK?

Most people wanting to come to the UK need to apply via a points-based system.

www.bbc.co.uk

Gdn:
"According to the ONS data, the non-EU arrivals included 361,000 students and their families, 235,000 people coming for work-related reasons, 172,000 coming on humanitarian schemes from countries including Ukraine, Hong Kong and Afghanistan, and 76,000 people claiming asylum."
Nothing much to do with brexit, eu is negative, it was never very high.

If bright people come here to work and grow up, who's complaining?
Some, but few, compared with people who wrongly blame them for
- not enough gp appointments
- not enough houses
- schools not good enough
- NHS in trouble (though the only natives I see in the NHS are receptionists)
- not enough workers of all types
when those are our own bloody fault.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Of course it’s nothing to do with people fleeing a war in Europe, 'international students' bringing their family over (which will soon be stopped) or lockdowns ending is it?

Stop looking for excuses and open your eyes.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

As with almost every other thread in which it's raised, this is bugger all to do with Brexit.

If we'd been in the EU then foreign students would still have worked out this scam. Time goes on, new loopholes are found and taken advantage of, then they get closed. We'd have had this happening, small boats arriving AND unrestricted legal immigration from the EU. It would probably have been even worse.

We just need a government that actually wants to stop it happening, instead of playing silly games of pretending they care while willfully allowing it to continue.

If its nothing to do with brexit, what were the brexit claims about immigration and border controls all about

 

[carmanmemoranda]

That’s one of the reasons I voted for Brexit to stop the poor treatment of those that come to work here.

I don't think that claim of yours is true at all

 

[Mottie]

You voted for Brexit because you are a typical crochety old gammon.
Not a soul on this forum believes you did anything so noble as to improve the lives of Albanian pickpockets.
Pull the other one, mottie.

Spoken like a true employer of cheap, poorly treated labour!

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Spoken like a true employer of cheap, poorly treated labour!

Sounds more like a brexiteer desperately looking for a reason to explain why he voted to leave, without, as you have previously admitted, no real reasons or understanding

 

[JP_]

Now come on, how many people get married first and then decide to do a three or four year degree course in a foreign country?

Mature students do.

We have around 500,000 foreign students. 136,000 dependents seems a very high number. I am not disputing it, but would love to see the real figures behind this story. I just doesn't seem to match with what is seen.

In the news from yesterday, is this quote:

"Foreign postgraduate students on non-research courses will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK"

These are not university students. Postgraduates are those that have completed their studies and probably now working in British industry.
Why wouldn't we allow them to settle? We already have a labour shortage and a skills shortage. All we'll achieve is losing more of our workforce, just to appease people who think there are too many foreigners.

Also, to add:

Can an international student invite someone to UK?

The family member(s) you wish to invite to the UK must apply for the Standard Visitor Visa. These are usually issued for 6 months, however, your family should only stay in the UK for the duration of time that they outlined in their application. Holders of this type of visa cannot work or study in the UK.

Can I invite my parents to UK while studying?

If you want to bring your family members in the UK on your student visa they must prove to have proper financial resources to afford the cost of living in the UK otherwise their visa will be rejected. Your personal funds cannot be provided as evidence they possess required funds to go to the UK.

People really need to stop believing the rubbish the press are telling them.

The Tories are desperate, they are lying to you so you vote them in again!

 

[Mottie]

These are not university students. Postgraduates are those that have completed their studies and probably now working in British industry.
Why wouldn't we allow them to settle?

I did say there would be exceptions and I would say they fit into that category.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Mature students do.

We have around 500,000 foreign students. 136,000 dependents seems a very high number. I am not disputing it, but would love to see the real figures behind this story. I just doesn't seem to match with what is seen.

In the news from yesterday, is this quote:

"Foreign postgraduate students on non-research courses will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK"

These are not university students. Postgraduates are those that have completed their studies and probably now working in British industry.
Why wouldn't we allow them to settle? We already have a labour shortage and a skills shortage. All we'll achieve is losing more of our workforce, just to appease people who think there are too many foreigners.

Also, to add:




People really need to stop believing the rubbish the press are telling them.

The Tories are desperate, they are lying to you so you vote them in again!

Maybe the question should be..

Does anybody check that these visas for 6 months or however long are checked up on and actioned if necessary ? Is the issue overstayers not leaving ? We have laws for that already