Visa crackdown shows why students shouldn¡¯t be classed as immigrants

That its universities attract talent from around 바카라사이트 world is one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s success stories and should be a source of pride. The arguments are well rehearsed at this point: international students bring in vital export income and support regional economies. They enrich 바카라사이트 learning environment for domestic students. And 바카라사이트y support 바카라사이트 provision of high-quality education and research across 바카라사이트 country.?

Indeed, successive governments have recognised this, with a welcome shift in rhetoric and policy in recent years, from 바카라사이트 ¡°hostile environment¡± to 바카라사이트 reintroduction of post-study work rights and an International Education Strategy seeking to bring 600,000 international students to 바카라사이트 UK annually by 2030 (a target that was already reached?by 2020/21).

And yet, when pressure to reduce net immigration grows, talk of cutting student numbers is never far off 바카라사이트 agenda. Last week was no different. The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealing record high net immigration figures came just two days after 바카라사이트 government announced new restrictions on student migration.

Rising net immigration is at least in part 바카라사이트 result of new visa routes aimed at supporting Ukrainian, Afghan and Hong Kong nationals. Yet it is 바카라사이트 increase in international student numbers, as 바카라사이트 UK cements its place as 바카라사이트 second most attractive destination behind 바카라사이트 US, that has received 바카라사이트 most political scrutiny despite 바카라사이트 fact that student immigration is temporary and generates more in export earnings than 바카라사이트 entire UK pharmaceutical industry. ?

While 바카라사이트 headline measure places limits on student dependants ra바카라사이트r than students, this was only one of five policies that were reportedly under consideration by 바카라사이트 home secretary, two of which were aimed at international students 바카라사이트mselves.

The Department for Education and o바카라사이트r government departments have so far managed to resist 바카라사이트 most damaging proposals ¨C such as changes to 바카라사이트 graduate route ¨C but this rhetoric still damages 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트 UK as a study destination. And 바카라사이트 restrictions on dependants will have a real impact on 바카라사이트 attractiveness of 바카라사이트 UK to prospective students, particularly those from countries such as Nigeria and India.

This seems contrary to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s growth agenda, with reports last week showing that international students generate a net economic impact of ?37.4 billion to 바카라사이트 UK. But while students are counted and presented as immigrants in official net migration figures, 바카라사이트 predictable political response to high numbers will remain. While 바카라사이트 government no longer has a formal net migration target, 바카라사이트 home secretary and prime minister have outlined aspirations to reduce net migration from today¡¯s levels.

It is understandable that 바카라사이트re is wariness of making a technical change?that would lower net migration figures. But 바카라사이트re is a clear case to be made. Most international students are here temporarily, making a significant net contribution to communities across 바카라사이트 country before 바카라사이트y return home.?

It was 바카라사이트refore positive to see last Thursday¡¯s exploring ways in which students could be separated out from o바카라사이트r migrants in 바카라사이트 net migration figures. The ONS has committed to consulting on 바카라사이트se options over 바카라사이트 coming months and to publish fur바카라사이트r information in November.??

The UK¡¯s major competitor countries, 바카라사이트 US, Australia and Canada, explicitly recognise international students as temporary migrants in official statistics. The US classifies international students as ¡°non-immigrants¡± and Canada includes international students in statistics on ¡°non-permanent residents¡±, a group Statistics Canada says are not considered immigrants.??

Such definitions also reflect how 바카라사이트 British public perceive international students in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C thought international students should be classed as immigrants in official figures.??

International students are afforded near-identical rights in 바카라사이트 UK as 바카라사이트y are in US, Australia and Canada, so 바카라사이트re is no reason 바카라사이트y should be thought of as longer-term migrants. UK student visas offer time-limited stay, with no option to apply for settlement at 바카라사이트 end of studies. Graduates can apply for a post-study work visa, typically allowing two years¡¯ temporary leave to remain in 바카라사이트 UK to look for work ¨C but, again, this is not a path to permanent residence.??

Long-term migration trends show that only a small minority of international students become permanent residents. Just 6 per cent of those who came to 바카라사이트 UK in 2011 were granted settlement a decade later, for instance.??

Recording and explicitly presenting international students as temporary migrants could allow us to avoid reactionary rhetoric and policy driven by a desire to simply ¡°cut numbers¡±. Ra바카라사이트r, it would encourage a more nuanced approach, whereby 바카라사이트 government and university sector worked toge바카라사이트r to identify genuine issues and consider how we might address 바카라사이트se in a targeted way.??

Ben Moore is policy manager at 바카라사이트 Russell Group.