UK Government Considering Ban on Nigerian Students, Others to Curb Rising Migration Numbers

UK Government Considering Ban on Nigerian Students, Others to Curb Rising Migration Numbers

  • The United Kingdom is contemplating reducing the number of student immigrants in the nation
  • The UK is particularly concerned with ensuring that Nigerian students and other nationals only apply to top universities
  • This is due to an increase in the number of students admitted and family members accompanying them

The United Kingdom government is working at ensuring student migrants from Nigeria, and other countries only apply to its top universities.

The Times UK reports that foreign students may be barred from Britain unless they win a place at a top university.

UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who was quoted in the report, revealed the plans as the number of immigrants has crossed over 1.1 million.

UK move to reduce Nigerians admission
UK prime minister Rishi Sunak is looking to reduce the number of student immigrants Credit: @Rishi
Source: Facebook

Legit.ng had earlier reported that the number of Nigerians leaving for the UK on a student visa is at a record high.

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UK data showed that 34,000 Nigerians were issued visas in 12 months and were accompanied by 31,898 dependants.

UK move to stop rising foreign student

Sunak said:

"We are investigating all alternatives to ensure that the immigration system delivers," he added, "including the issue of students' dependents and low-quality degrees."

The prime minister also added that “all options” were on the table to curb the estimated 1.1 million migrants, Guardian UK reports.

Suella Braverman, UK home secretary, also remained committed to reducing migration.

She said:

"The public rightly expects us to control our borders and we remain committed to reducing migration over time in line with our manifesto commitment."

Data from the UK Statistics Authority showed that students accounted for the biggest proportion of immigrants, at 277,000, nearly double the 143,000 who came to the UK in the year to June 2021.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that recently, reports emerged that the United Kingdom has granted medical licenses to 266 Nigerians who relocated to that country in search of greener pastures.

The rush by Nigerians to leave the country has made countries worldwide develop special immigration laws allowing seamless visa application to their respective countries.

Yearly, Nigerians in their thousands apply for a UK visa in different classes. Some get turned down for various reasons.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Dave Ibemere avatar

Dave Ibemere (Senior Business Editor) Dave Ibemere is a senior business editor at Legit.ng. He is a financial journalist with over a decade of experience in print and online media. He also holds a Master's degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the African Academy for Open-Source Investigation (AAOSI), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other media think tank groups. He previously worked with The Guardian, BusinessDay, and headed the business desk at Ripples Nigeria. Email: dave.ibemere@corp.legit.ng.