Market News

The government is set to ban most international students from bringing their family to the UK in a crackdown against immigration.

The news comes as new figures, set to be released on Thursday, are expected to show net migration has increased to 1 million people.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to reduce net migration when he entered Downing Street last year – but he’s likely to come out fighting on these figures.

He inherited them as they date back to to the year ending December 2022, two months after he became prime minister, The Sun reports.

The number of people coming to the UK using a relative’s student visa reached 135,788 last year, which is nine times more than in 2019.

This crackdown, expected to be announced on Tuesday or Wednesday, will see all masters students and many post graduates from bringing family over, but won’t apply to PhD students.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman reportedly also wanted to increase the salary threshold.

Currently foreign workers have to earn at least £26,000 to move here, but she wanted this upped to £33,000 – the average wage in Britain.

The proposal, also backed by Robert Jenrick, was overruled by the Treasury.

One Tory MP said: ‘We have got to get a grip.’