Study - Immigration to Britain - Year 6

In the educational context of Year 6, the topic of immigration to Britain, particularly focusing on the influx of international students, is highlighted by the substantial rise in sponsored study visas in recent years. In 2022, there was a notable increase in the issuance of these visas, with 485,758 main applicants receiving them—an 81% jump from the figures in 2019. This significant growth is attributed partly to the disruption caused by the pandemic, which may have influenced travel and study patterns, leading to an accumulation of student visa applications in 2022. Such an increase necessitates careful consideration when comparing these statistics to previous years, due to the extraordinary circumstances that have affected global mobility.

Delving deeper into the demographics of this surge, Indian nationals stand out with 139,539 visas granted—an impressive 307% rise from 2019. Following closely, Chinese nationals were the second-largest group, receiving 102,842 visas. A breakdown of the educational sectors where these visas were utilized reveals that a vast 91% were for higher education institutions, indicating a strong preference for university-level study among international students in Britain. The remaining visas were distributed among further education, independent schools, English language schools, and other educational establishments. Additionally, there has been a marked increase in visas issued to dependants of students, which rose to over 22% in 2022 from just 6% in 2019, reflecting a trend towards students bringing family members during their study period in Britain.