So you have someone on a student visa from West Africa (this is overwhelmingly the source of this problem), they bung £10k to someone who runs a "university", they bring over their extended family (5-10 people), and there is basically no way to deport them now even once the student visa ends.
I agree, the statistics are basically unknown precisely...but the context would indicate that the size of flows are understated (the reproduction rate of non-migrants in the UK is not enough to produce population growth...since 1990, UK population is up 18%).
They are also required to be financially self sufficient : "As part of the visa application dependants must have sufficient funds to cover living costs in the UK. This is £680 for each month the visa will be valid, up to a maximum of 9 months. This is a total of £6,120 per dependant if the visa will be granted for 9 months or more"
> basically no way to deport them now even once the student visa ends
Bearing in mind the hostile environment - if your visa has expired you can no longer work, rent or have a bank account - and the fact that the government can and does deport people; I think this isn't true.
That very page you linked says "However, the estimates of emigration by
former student immigrants are experimental, and the ONS advises against
using them to calculate net migration of international students"
Because the UK does not do passport checks on exit, unlike Schengen, it's impossible to properly count people who've emigrated again.
No, it isn't dependent children but dependents...very big distinction in practice.
Being financially self-sufficient makes no difference because they are still using more resources. We aren't selling citizenship like St Kitts, it isn't a car boot sale.
What hostile environment? Every other country in Europe is deporting Albanians, we can't. Denmark is returning Syrians, we can't. If your visa expires, there are ways to claim right to remain if you are already here.
Okay, and that is why I gave the gross number...which is the highest number ever. And again, the evidence suggests that the UK is retaining more students than expected now (it was the opposite a few years ago).
They can't get a visa. They come as dependents of someone who has a visa. You just need to read the news, the govt is producing legislation to stop this.
So you have someone on a student visa from West Africa (this is overwhelmingly the source of this problem), they bung £10k to someone who runs a "university", they bring over their extended family (5-10 people), and there is basically no way to deport them now even once the student visa ends.
I agree, the statistics are basically unknown precisely...but the context would indicate that the size of flows are understated (the reproduction rate of non-migrants in the UK is not enough to produce population growth...since 1990, UK population is up 18%).