Britain on Tuesday cut non-European Union economic immigration to 21,700 for 2011 as part of its new immigration cap, to be imposed from April 2011.
Home secretary Theresa May announced in the House of Commons that the United Kingdom will close the general route for Tier I, which had been subject to abuse.
The next visa route to be reduced is the one for students, Ms May said, saying the government was keen to cut down work experience visas for students. The student route now accounts for two-thirds of migrants entering the UK.
The home office has initiated an eight-week consultation on student visas to seek views on ways to cut the number of students entering the UK, and Ms May said she would crack down on non-EU students coming to privately-funded colleges and to study courses that were below degree-level.