UK Immigration And News Updates | NHS and International Students Visa Updates
UK Immigration And News Updates: Today, we explain two significant news updates that have occurred in the recent few days. Will the NHS begin hiring immediately? What are the NHS’s latest plans? The second update has to do with international students.
1. NHS UPDATES
No extra NHS funding without reform, says PM
As he committed to creating a new ten-year strategy for the health sector, Sir Keir Starmer states that further cash for the NHS will not be provided without reform.
The promise was made following the dire warning that the English NHS was in “critical condition” in a devastating study.
The new plan, which the prime minister said would be “the biggest reimagining of the NHS” since its formation, is scheduled for publication in the spring.
Still, the Conservatives insisted that after abandoning plans to build new hospitals and improve social care, the government needed to move from “rhetoric to action”.
Sir Keir outlined three main areas for reform: shifting the NHS to a digital platform, shifting more care from inpatient facilities to community settings, and prioritising health and prevention over illness.
Lord Darzi, an NHS surgeon and independent peer, reviewed the study for nine weeks before it was finalised.
Shortly after the election, Labour asked him to list the shortcomings in the health service, but he was not tasked with proposing fixes.
He claims that the service is in “serious trouble” due to decreased productivity, “ballooning” wait times, and “awful” emergency services that put patients at risk. His findings paint a stark picture of this situation.
In response to the study, Sir Keir stated during a speech in London that more money alone would not fix the issues.
“We cannot avoid lasting change. Reform is the answer to this; additional money won’t just solve it.”
Sir Keir discussed transforming it into a “neighbourhood health service” and declared that it would be “so different” from all previous initiatives.
Together with the return of the family physician and the provision of digital consultations for individuals who desire them, this would entail “more tests, scans, and healthcare offered on high streets and towns centres.”
“Hear me when I say this – no more money without reform.”
It is unlikely that NHS recruitments that were halted for funding reasons will pick back up under these conditions. With the update that will be released in the next few days, it is anticipated that the NHS plan will become clearer.
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2. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA UPDATES
UK raises maintenance requirements for international students
For the first time since 2020, the UK Home Office has raised the amount of money that overseas students must save.
International students entering the UK are required by law to show that they have enough money saved “for each month of their course (up to nine months),” according to the Home Office.
The amount of money is dependent on rises in the maintenance loans that are offered to domestic students; however, this hasn’t changed since 2020.
The new regulations stipulate that students intending to study outside of London must have £1,136 per month, while those arriving in London must provide proof of having £1,483 per month.
International students studying in London are currently required to provide proof of monthly savings of £1,023 outside of London and £1,334.
Syed Nooh, Head of Global Insights and Market Development at UEA, told ThePIE, “On the one hand, it is understandable that the UKVI has decided to increase the maintenance funds requirement for international students to align with rising inflation and the general increase in the cost of living across the UK.”
But Nooh said, “the UK risks portraying itself as a less accessible alternative, especially for students from lower-income countries,” given that other, more reasonably priced study abroad locations are aggressively luring international students.
Students entering the UK on or after January 2, 2025, must meet the revised standards, which were released on September 10, 2024. The government has said that it will continue to update the financial need on a regular basis to account for rises in domestic maintenance loans and inflation.
When applying for a visa, students who plan to study in London for nine months or more would need to provide proof of their total savings of £13,348.
The University of Exeter’s head of international student recruiting, Nick Skeavington, believes that while the move alone is unlikely to have an effect, it is one of several recent policy changes that have made the recruitment environment more difficult.
“It is imperative to contemplate [the amplified maintenance prerequisites] within the broader framework concerning modifications to the dependents’ visa policy, monetary and cost issues in pivotal markets, particularly in West Africa and South Asia, along with the noteworthy escalation in the NHS surcharge this year,” Skeavington stated to The PIE.
According to the government, if students have paid a deposit for their accommodation in the UK, they can still “offset” their proof of funds and show fewer maintenance funds.
Additionally, you are exempt from demonstrating maintenance funds if, as of the date of your application, you have been in the UK on a different route for at least a year.
The significance of “ensuring that students have sufficient financial support… to avoid hardship during their studies” and the “necessary alignment with the increased maintenance loans for domestic students” were acknowledged by the stakeholders, according to Nooh.
“Students from developing countries may find it more challenging to meet these increased financial requirements,” he said, “which could potentially lead to a less diverse campus environment.”
On February 6, 2024, the NHS surcharge for students wishing to study in the UK increased by 66% to £776 annually.
In addition to paying tuition that can be up to three times greater than that of local students, overseas students must additionally pay fees for their visas and biometrics, as well as taxes while they are employed in the UK.
UK JOBS & IMMIGRATION NEWS UPDATES
Five of the highest-paying European nations are now hiring foreign workers
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