The UK Government is replacing physical immigration documents for most student and worker visas with a digital proof of immigration status known as an eVisa—an online record of a person’s immigration permission in the UK.
The UK government has simplified the visa process for international students, supporting its long-standing goal of attracting 600,000 international students annually by 2030—a target announced a decade ago.
Recent immigration policy changes in the United States and other countries, which aim to restrict international student access, may indirectly create opportunities for the UK to strengthen its position in the global education market.
The UK Government’s International Education Strategy set out ambitions to:
- increase the value of education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030
- increase the total number of international students choosing to study in the UK higher education system (in universities, further education colleges and alternative providers) each year to 600,000 by 2030
The latter ambition was met for the first time in 2020/21, with 605,130 international higher education students studying in the UK.
In 2023/24, there were 732,285 overseas students enrolled at UK higher education institutions, accounting for 23% of the total student population. Of these, 75,490 were from the European Union and 656,795 from non-EU countries.
While this marked a 4% decrease from the record high in 2022/23—the first decline since 2012/13—the 2023/24 figure still represents the second-highest number of international students ever recorded in the country, the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency announced.
Total UK revenue from education related exports and transnational education activity was estimated to be £27.90 billion in 2021.Their real value has increased by 81% between 2010 and 2021.
NEW EVISA PROCEDURES
Starting from today (15 July), holders can link their travel document (such as a passport) to their UKVI account - an online UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account - to facilitate straightforward international travel.
People who have created a UKVI account will be able to use the view and prove service to prove their status securely with third parties, such as employers or landlords (in England).
eVisas are tried and tested, with millions of people already using them on select immigration routes.
"These changes to the UK visa system will make it much simpler for students and workers to prove their identity and visa status. It also means applicants can hold onto their passports, saving them time," said Jane Marriott CMG OBE, British High Commissioner.
Updating from a physical document to an eVisa does not affect anyone’s immigration status or the conditions of their permission to enter or stay in the UK.
E-visas are being rolled out to:
- Students, including short term study for 11 months
- Global Business Mobility routes (specifically, Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, Secondment Worker)
- Global Talent
- International Sportsperson
- Skilled Worker (including Health and Care)
- Temporary Work routes (specifically, Charity Worker, Creative Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement, and Religious work routes)
- Youth Mobility Scheme
This will eventually be rolled out to all visa routes meaning a more secure and streamlined process for all UK visa customers.
The death toll from landslides in two regions of Indonesia's Central Java rose to 30 as rescue efforts continued, the country's disaster mitigation ag...
Ukrainan President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after talks with a top U.S. Army official on Thursday he was ready for "honest" work with Washington on a ...
U.S. President Donald Trump removed his 40% tariffs on Brazilian food products, including beef, coffee, cocoa and fruits that were imposed in July to ...
Axios has published the full 28-point framework drafted by the U.S. administration, outlining a proposed settlement between Ukraine and Russia built o...
South Africa and the European Union vowed to defend multilateralism on Thursday (November 20), ahead of the G20 summit, as they signed a partnership o...
The UK has announced its most extensive asylum reforms in decades, replacing automatic routes to permanent settlement with temporary protection reviewed every 30 months.
Britain’s Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood has announced sweeping reforms to the UK’s asylum and immigration system, signalling a significant shift away from automatic paths to permanent residency for refugees.
Britain’s King Charles III marks his 77th birthday. Unlike his predecessors, King Charles treats his actual birthday, on 14 November, as his main moment of reflection. This year, King Charles visited Wales—a decision that coincides with the overall spirit of his first three years on the throne.
A new London exhibition resurrects Pompeii with virtual volcanoes, 3D replicas of plaster casts, and a metaverse tour that places visitors inside the ancient city’s final moments.
Indonesian authorities evacuated more than 900 people from nearby villages and were helping 170 stranded climbers return safely after the eruption of Semeru volcano, one of the country's tallest mountains.
Iran's air force, heavily reliant on aging F-14A Tomcat jets, faces a growing technological gap as its neighbors rapidly modernize their air forces with advanced fighter jets and air defense systems.
A fresh wave of floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in central Vietnam since the weekend has claimed at least eight lives, according to a government report on Wednesday. Traders have also cautioned that the extreme weather could disrupt the ongoing coffee harvest.
Germany has returned 12 royal-era cultural artefacts to Ethiopia in a ceremony in Addis Ababa, marking a formal step in ongoing cultural cooperation between the two countries.
An off-the-cuff remark by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that triggered Japan's biggest bust-up in years with powerful neighbour China was not meant to signal a new hardline stance.
Ukrainan President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after talks with a top U.S. Army official on Thursday he was ready for "honest" work with Washington on a plan to end the war in Ukraine, while European allies pushed back against punishing concessions to Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump removed his 40% tariffs on Brazilian food products, including beef, coffee, cocoa and fruits that were imposed in July to punish Brazil over the prosecution of its former president, Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro.
Axios has published the full 28-point framework drafted by the U.S. administration, outlining a proposed settlement between Ukraine and Russia built on security guarantees, territorial provisions and long-term economic arrangements.
South Africa and the European Union vowed to defend multilateralism on Thursday (November 20), ahead of the G20 summit, as they signed a partnership on critical minerals.
More international support is needed to stabilise the Palestinian fiscal situation, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said on Thursday (November 20).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment