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.
Hungary has strongly criticised NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that Russia could be capable of attacking the alliance within five years...
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to halt all shooting from Friday evening following renewed fighting along their shared border, U.S. President Donald...
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 s...
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week....
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tacti...
Public spending watchdog says billions were wasted on temporary housing, while Downing Street confirms it will not follow Australia’s lead on age-restricting digital platforms.
The United Kingdom may be overstating its influence in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to John Kavulich, senior editor at Issue Insight.
The possibility of restricting social media access for children is a hot topic in the European Union and the United Kingdom, after Australia implemented a world-first ban for those under 16. Lawmakers have labelled the ban a “real-world test” of how far governments can go to protect young people.
Flights have resumed at the Edinburgh airport following a period of cancellations due to an IT issue with its air traffic control provider.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
Kyiv has escalated its naval campaign against Moscow’s economic lifelines, claiming a successful strike on a vessel suspected of skirting international sanctions within the Black Sea.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
ussian President Vladimir Putin described Moscow’s relations with Baghdad as historically strong and unbroken during a meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Turkmenistan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment