Visa & Route Intelligence

Student route rules change. Family decisions should not depend on stale assumptions.

Haldenbrook maintains a source-checked route intelligence library for the countries Indian families ask about most. This public briefing starts with the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, using official government sources and clear status labels.

Read Country Briefings Discuss a Student Plan

Official-source first In force vs scheduled Updated research archive

What This Is

Complimentary intelligence, not generic link-dumping.

We publish the high-level facts families should know before shortlisting: proof-of-funds posture, work limits, dependant rules, post-study route sensitivity, and items that need re-checking before applications or deposits.

What Stays Advisory

Interpretation still depends on the student.

Exact programme, intake, family budget, currency exposure, scholarship dependency, academic risk, country fit, and post-study pathway assumptions are interpreted inside Haldenbrook reports and counselling sessions.

Broader Destination Watchlist

These four are the first public briefings, not the limit of what we track.

Haldenbrook's internal route intelligence library also follows other high-interest study destinations for Indian families. Public country pages are released only when the source file is strong enough for client-facing use.

Public briefings now live

United StatesF-1 / J-1 / D/S watch United KingdomStudent route / Graduate route CanadaStudy permit / PGWP AustraliaSubclass 500 / GS

Additional destinations tracked

Germany Ireland New Zealand Singapore UAE Hong Kong Netherlands France Italy Spain Switzerland Nordics Japan South Korea Malaysia

Country Briefings

Four major destinations where route details can materially affect the family budget and shortlist.

Each country note separates what is currently in force, what is scheduled, and what should be watched. Amounts, work rights, dependant permissions, and post-study routes can change; families should treat these as briefing notes, not filing instructions.

United States

F-1, J-1, dependants, work rules, and D/S litigation now need explicit monitoring.

Checked 24 Aug 2026

Public route notes

In force: F-1 students need a school-issued Form I-20, SEVIS registration, DS-160, interview documentation, and evidence showing how educational, living, and travel costs will be paid.
In force: there is no official US government-set minimum INR bank balance for F-1 applicants. Families should work from the I-20 cost of attendance, living and travel costs, sponsor evidence, and consular judgement.
In force: F-1 on-campus work is generally capped at 20 hours per week while school is in session, with different rules for breaks, CPT, OPT, STEM OPT, severe economic hardship, and special student relief.
In force: F-2 dependants are not authorised to work. J-2 dependants are different: they must apply for employment authorisation and need an EAD before working.
Scheduled / watch: DHS published a final rule replacing duration of status for F, J, and I categories with fixed admission periods, effective 15 September 2026 unless changed or blocked. NAFSA and the Presidents' Alliance coalition filed APA litigation in D. Mass. on 18 August 2026, so public guidance should be re-checked before client use.

Where Haldenbrook adds judgement

Whether the student's US plan survives cost of attendance, currency buffer, family sponsor evidence, and school-specific I-20 timing.
Whether F-1 versus J-1 is being understood correctly, especially when parent expectations include dependant work rights.
Whether OPT/STEM OPT, transfer, change-of-level, D/S transition, litigation status, and visa appointment timing need a fresh check before deposits or travel decisions.

Primary sources

State Department Student Visa

State Department Exchange Visitor Visa

ICE SEVIS employment guidance

DHS Study in the States dependants

Federal Register 91 FR 44976

NAFSA Duration of Status Rule

United Kingdom

Student route, dependant limits, and Graduate route timing need to be read together.

Checked 24 Aug 2026

Public route notes

In force: student maintenance is listed as £1,529 per month in London and £1,171 per month outside London, usually for up to 9 months, with the 28-day funds rule and the 31-day application timing rule.
In force: degree-level students are generally limited to 20 hours per week during term time, with tighter limits below degree level and separate placement rules.
In force: most students from India should expect UK tuberculosis testing requirements if staying more than 6 months, using approved clinics.
Scheduled: Graduate route permission for non-PhD applicants is scheduled to reduce to 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. PhD and doctoral qualifications remain listed at 3 years.
Watch: dependants are restricted. For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, the main broad postgraduate route is limited to PhD, doctorate, or research-based higher degree courses, alongside specified government-sponsored cases.

Where Haldenbrook adds judgement

Whether the UK still fits after currency exposure, IHS, rent, deposits, and proof-of-funds timing are included.
Whether the course and intake create post-study route timing risk for the family plan.
Whether dependant assumptions, ATAS sensitivity, placement structure, scholarship dependency, or professional recognition need separate checks.

Primary sources

GOV.UK Student visa money

GOV.UK Appendix Student

GOV.UK Student visa family members

GOV.UK Appendix Graduate

GOV.UK Immigration Health Surcharge

GOV.UK TB testing in India

Canada

Funds, PAL/TAL rules, spouse work eligibility, and PGWP fit can move the decision.

Checked 24 Aug 2026

Public route notes

In force: for study permit applications on or after 1 September 2025, IRCC lists CAD 22,895 as the annual living-expense amount for one applicant outside Quebec, excluding tuition and transportation.
In force: off-campus work during regular academic sessions is generally capped at 24 hours per week, if the student meets the eligibility conditions.
In force: from 21 January 2025, spouse or common-law partner open work permit eligibility is narrower and tied to specified master's, doctoral, professional, or eligible programmes and other conditions.
In force: from 1 January 2026, some master's and doctoral degree programmes at public DLIs are listed as exempt from PAL/TAL requirements.
Watch: PGWP eligibility depends on credential level, language requirement, and, for certain non-degree pathways, eligible field-of-study rules. IRCC says no fields were added or removed for 2026.

Where Haldenbrook adds judgement

Whether the exact DLI, credential, length, field, and intake support the family's PGWP and spouse-work assumptions.
Whether funds evidence, loan sanction timing, GIC posture, travel cost, and tuition deposit timing are practical for the family.
Whether Canada remains the right choice after provincial caps, PAL/TAL exposure, housing cost, and currency buffer are read together.

Primary sources

IRCC proof of financial support

IRCC Guide 5269

IRCC work as an international student

IRCC spouse work permit eligibility

IRCC PAL/TAL guidance

IRCC PGWP eligibility

Australia

Subclass 500 is simple at headline level, but evidence and Genuine Student analysis matter.

Checked 24 Aug 2026

Public route notes

In force: Subclass 500 normally requires enrolment in a CRICOS-registered full-time course and a Confirmation of Enrolment.
In force: the general student work limit is 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session; masters by research and doctoral students, and their families, have different work-limit treatment.
In force: Home Affairs lists 12-month living-cost amounts of AUD 29,710 for the student, AUD 10,394 for a partner, and AUD 4,449 for a child, alongside tuition, travel, and school-cost considerations.
In force: the Genuine Student requirement applies to student visa applications lodged on or after 23 March 2024, replacing the prior GTE test for those applications.
Watch: the document checklist and evidence framework drive whether financial and English evidence must be attached. Home Affairs does not publish provider evidence levels for families to rely on casually.

Where Haldenbrook adds judgement

Whether the provider, course level, academic history, funding source, and career logic are coherent under the Genuine Student lens.
Whether funds are genuinely accessible and explained, rather than shown as a one-day balance certificate.
Whether Australia still fits when course price, work assumptions, family members, post-study options, and currency exposure are read together.

Primary sources

Home Affairs Subclass 500

Home Affairs Genuine Student requirement

Home Affairs evidence framework

How We Maintain It

Source hierarchy

Official immigration, government, regulator, and university sources sit above media, agent blogs, social posts, and anecdotal claims. News is an alert, not a rule.

Force-status labels

We separate in-force rules, scheduled changes, litigation or policy-watch items, and unresolved claims so families can see what is decision-ready.

Weekly review target

High-priority routes are reviewed weekly and updated when sources change. Urgent policy-watch items are monitored more frequently during rule transitions.

Research archive

Model-assisted research is saved as internal evidence, then promoted only after source review. Public copy is not copied blindly from research drafts.

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