UK government to implement measures on international students to reduce immigration (white paper)

The Graduate Route period for international students in the UK will be reduced from 24 months to 18 months for those completing undergraduate and Master’s programmes, and measures are being implemented to reduce the number of international students arriving in the kingdom, announces the British government on 12/05/2025.

In its flagship immigration white paper, the Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, vows to make "radical reforms to Britain’s immigration system, restoring control to our borders and reducing record-high levels of net migration".

For international students, it means that:
• The Graduate Route, which allows foreign students to stay in the UK for up to two years after graduation to find a job, will be reduced to 18 months (the three years allowed for PhD students remains unchanged).
• The government explores introducing a levy on higher education provider income from international students, which was estimated to be £20.65 Bn in 2021, "to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system". The 6% levy aims to "raise fees for foreign students and depress, to some…