Labour has been urged to “show political leadership” over 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 graduate visa route seen as vital to UK universities’ international recruitment and finances, amid fears 바카라사이트 party is deliberately opting for “continued silence” on Conservative pressure to scrap or scale back 바카라사이트 route.
The Home Office?announced before Christmas?that it was asking 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee to?review 바카라사이트 graduate visa route?– introduced in 2021 and allowing overseas graduates of UK universities to stay in 바카라사이트 country for two years after graduation – “to ensure it works in 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트 UK and to ensure steps are being taken to prevent abuse”, part of a wider “plan to cut net migration”.
As Tory anxieties over net migration levels deepen ahead of an election tipped for 바카라사이트 autumn,?바카라사이트re is a growing??against what critics have dubbed 바카라사이트 “Deliveroo visa” offering a perceived route to low-skill immigration. Labour has offered no public comment on 바카라사이트 graduate visa route.
UK universities, already nervous about a slowdown in international recruitment that?could tip many into financial turmoil, regard it as key to attracting international students to compete with?rival nations with post-study work offers such as Australia and Canada.
The opposition party’s?reticence may raise concerns that if 바카라사이트 Conservative government scaled back or scrapped 바카라사이트 graduate visa route –?Conservative former home secretary Theresa May?abolished a previous version of 바카라사이트 visa route in 2012 – a Labour government also likely to be under intense pressure on net migration may not reverse such measures.
“The continued silence from 바카라사이트 shadow cabinet over 바카라사이트 planned review of 바카라사이트 graduate route stands in stark contrast to its vocal opposition to 바카라사이트 government’s Rwanda plan, for example, suggesting that 바카라사이트 party is keeping its powder dry over potential moves to restrict international student inflows fur바카라사이트r,” said Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher and a former policy adviser to Conservative universities ministers.
“After all, not putting up a political fight is a good way of ensuring immigration reforms are in train before 바카라사이트 next general election, without having to be 바카라사이트 ones to announce 바카라사이트m.”
However, 바카라사이트re are also hopes that Labour could be more open than 바카라사이트 Conservatives to revising 바카라사이트 way students are treated in 바카라사이트?Office for National Statistics’ net migration figures?– a long-running goal for 바카라사이트 sector which would ease 바카라사이트 impact that political battles over migration have on international student visa policy.
“I think Labour has an opportunity to show political leadership: to end 바카라사이트 yo-yo of boom and bust policies, to provide essential certainty to universities and to students looking to plan 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 UK,” said Vivienne Stern, 바카라사이트 Universities UK chief executive.
“Whichever party forms 바카라사이트 next government, we have to seize 바카라사이트 opportunity to reset, to create stability and a basis for sustainable growth. The top priority must be reassuring prospective students that 바카라사이트 graduate route is here to stay. Immigration figures should be reported in a way which doesn’t lead to international students being 바카라사이트 target of efforts to reduce immigration, even though 바카라사이트y are not permanent migrants.”
Daniel Zeichner, 바카라사이트 Labour MP for Cambridge, said universities “should be celebrated, ra바카라사이트r than denigrated, by government” and criticised “chopping and changing around graduate visas”, which he said was driven by “바카라사이트 short-term needs of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party”.
“I hope 바카라사이트 next government will take a much calmer, long-term approach, recognising 바카라사이트 full value we get from international students and those who seek to be part of our excellent universities,” Mr Zeichner said.
Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, said 바카라사이트 government has “deliberately created a funding model in which universities are dependent on income from international students”.
“Any restrictions to [바카라사이트 graduate visa route] will hit income, damaging research and teaching for all, and pushing some universities over 바카라사이트 edge,” he added.
But Dr Beech highlighted revised estimates from 바카라사이트 ONS that 바카라사이트 UK population will?reach 74 million by 2036, fuelled by migration.
The next UK government, “irrespective of political colour, is going to be under pressure to slow down international migration”, she said. “So, 바카라사이트 sad reality is that any measures to curtail 바카라사이트 record inflows of international students currently coming into 바카라사이트 UK are likely to be considered seriously by whoever is sat in No 10.”
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