Nigerians are irked by plans by the United Kingdom to impose travel restrictions on families of foreign students due to influx of migrants into the UK.
The move, which will affect Nigerian students’ families and those of other nationalities from traveling to join them, has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians.
A Twitter user, Dr Dípò Awójídé, with the handle @OgbeniDipo, said “the UK makes £25 billion annually from international students but don’t want them to bring their families over.
“Next thing the UK government might remove is Post Study Work visa (PSW). Then, 80% of the Japa crew from Nigeria will have to japada to Nigeria. The Conservative Party have done it before when Theresa May was in charge of the Home Office in 2012. They can do it again.
“Japa crew with family from Nigeria will face Canada🇨🇦 from next year. Only single people will most likely pick the UK as 1st choice. Waiting for the announcement.”
Another Nigerian, who simply identified as Ayobami, on his twitter handle, @dondekojo, said “Nigerians in the UK that went in before the recent Japa wave are so happy about the newly proposed rule against traveling with dependents.”
But Kamal with the Twitter handle, @kamakarzy247, said “why would anyone be happy at such? Can you give your reasons for the happiness you have noticed?”
On his part, Oludayo Sokunbi, with the handle @Oludeewon, suggested an alternative for Nigerian student to the UK, stating that “Malta is also another English-speaking country in Europe you can JAPA to. You must live in Malta for five years to apply for a permanent residence permit. Benefits: You will be able to work, live, and study in Malta🇲🇹 for the residence permit’s duration.”
The United Kingdom will, as early as this week, impose travel restrictions on families of foreign students studying there, a report by the Sun, UK, said.
The move, which will affect Nigerian students’ families and those of other nationalities from traveling to join them, follows worries expressed by the government on influx of migrants into the UK.
The crackdown will also see all masters students and many other postgraduates banned from taking family over to the UK.
On Sunday an unnamed Tory Member of Parliament, MP, told the Sun that “Rishi Sunak is expected to come out fighting on immigration – pointing out they are figures he inherited as they date back to the year ending December 2022 – two months after he became PM.”
“There has been an explosion in the number of people coming to Britain piggybacking on their relative’s student visa.
“Students brought 135,788 family members to Britain last year – nine times more than in 2019. Last year, 59,053 Nigerian students brought over 60,923 relatives. “We have got to get a grip.”
According to the report, the ban will, however, not apply to PhD students, whose courses usually last between 3 and 5 years and are very highly skilled.
Data obtained from the UK Home Office last year show that Nigerians accounted for the highest increase in the number of dependents accompanying persons with study visas for the year ending in June 2022.
“In the year ending June 2022, there were 486,868 Sponsored study visas granted (to both main applicants and their dependants), 71% (202,147) more than 2019,” the report read.
A report by Daily Mail, UK, indicates that Nigeria represented 40 per cent of the total number of dependants between June 2021 and June 2022, and “some 34,000 Nigerians were given study visas in the UK, bringing with them a total of 31,898 dependants.”
