Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential economic impact on the University of Aberdeen of the restrictions to student visa routes implemented on 1 January 2024.

The Government will continue to strike the balance between reducing overall net migration, protecting the economic benefits that overseas students bring to the UK and ensuring that businesses have the skills they need. Those affected by changes made to the Student visa will predominantly be dependants of students who make a more limited contribution to the economy than students or those on work visas, minimising the impact on UK growth.

We have been successful in delivering our International Education Strategy goal of hosting 600,000 students per year by 2030, earlier than planned, and expect universities to be able to adapt to reduced dependant numbers.