Over 120,000 Indian Nationals Received UK Student Visas Grants for 2022

The UK Home Office released data showing that in the year ending September 2022, the number of UK student visas issued to Indian applicants had risen significantly by 273% to 127,731, up from 34,261 in 2019.

Worker Visas

Indian nationals were the primary recipients of 'Worker' visas, making up 39% of the overall visas issued, amounting to 56,042. This is a marked increase of 90% compared to the 29,552 issued in 2019.

Non-Russell group CAS

The number of students submitting applications to study in Non-Russell group universities, represented by the number of Certificates of Acceptance for Study(CAS) used in study visa applications, has seen an upsurge of 141% since the end of September 2019, reaching a total of 159,423. Additionally, 59% of all CAS are now being issued for these universities. This is the highest rate of non-Russell Group CAS in the Sponsorship time series since 2010.

India's Top ‘Skilled Worker’ Visa Category

Indian nationals accounted for the highest proportion of Skilled Worker visas granted, at 33% (20,413), followed by nationals from the United States at 6% (3,729), and South Africa at 4% (2,501).

Indian nationals made up the highest proportion of grants of the 'Skilled Worker - Health and Care' visa, accounting for 36% (22,171) of the total. Nigerian nationals made up the second largest group, equating to 14% (8,520), with Zimbabwean nationals in close third place at 13% (7,875).

HPI Visa Grants

The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa, launched on May 30th, 2022, gives recent graduates from specific pre-approved educational institutions worldwide the chance to pursue a career or look for employment after studying in the UK. As of September 2022, a total of 729 principal grantees have been awarded, with 20% from the United States, 19% from China, and 14% from India.

The Graduate Route

A total of 59,937 additional leave grants to stay in the Graduate route were granted to main applicants, with Indian nationals comprising 41% of the recipients. The Graduate Immigration Route, which was made available on 1 July 2021, offers eligible graduates the chance to stay in the UK after their studies have been completed, allowing them to look for employment or start work. A Graduate Visa is available to applicants who have obtained an eligible qualification, such as a Bachelor's, Postgraduate, or other equivalent degree. This visa is valid for two years, or three years for those who have acquired a Doctoral qualification, such as a Ph.D.

Dependents of Sponsored Study Visa Holders

The report additionally demonstrates that Nigeria had the most elevated number of supported study visa holders with dependents in September 2022, with an aggregate of 51,648 dependents, a rise from 1,586 in 2019. India was the following most noteworthy, with 33,239 dependents, up from 3,135 in the same time frame. For the 12 months ending September 2022, over 100,000 visas were granted to dependents of sponsored foreign students from Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka - the five nationalities with the highest number of issued visas.

Over the period from 2019 to September 2022, Nigeria saw a marked rise in the proportion of study-related visa holders with dependents, rising from 19% to 50%. The number of dependents among Indian nationals rose from 8% to 21%, while the increase was more modest (from 4% to 6%) for non-top-five countries concerning dependent visas issued (Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka).