UK ban on student dependants not motivated by race — Expert

Prof. Femi Otubajo, an international relations expert, says the UK’s recent immigration position on international students’ dependents is unrelated to race or continent but to prevent distortions to public services.

He made this assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

Supreme reports that the UK’s Home Office said on Tuesday that international postgraduate students on non-research courses would no longer be able to bring family members to the country.

The UK government said the new reforms would come into effect for students starting in January 2024.

Secretary of State for the Home Department, Suella Braverman, said the UK had seen an unprecedented rise in the number of student dependents being brought into the country with visas, adding that it was “time for us to tighten up this route.”

She said this would allow the UK to better protect public services, while supporting the economy by allowing the students who contributed the most to keep coming.

According to Otubajo, policy adjustment is a standard element of policy management, and failure to do this will overwhelm the system over time.

He said the UK had been generous in allowing international students to bring their families, and insinuating that they were overreacting would be unfair to the system that was working efficiently.

“Too much pressure on the system affects the ability to plan every aspect of welfare, including accommodation, transportation, and health services. Without control, the system will become inefficient.

“The policy was informed by the assessment of their system to cope with such concessions and was not targeted at any continent.”

He further said nothing could be done to curb the trend of mass migration, particularly in Nigeria.

Otubajo noted that migration was a natural process, adding that people would always want greener pastures.

He, however, said it was only the volume that drew attention.

According to him, people have the right to move when there are no better options in their country.

The public affairs analyst said unemployment and insecurity were two critical areas responsible for the mass movement of Nigerians.

“Many young people are unemployed and believe they’ll live a good life abroad, no matter the job they take on.

“The insecurity of the last four years also increased the pressure for people to move out,” he said.

Otubajo urged the government to end insecurity completely and work toward creating more jobs.

“Jobs create wealth, and if you’re not working, you’re not reducing poverty. If these two areas become better, more people will stay in the country.”