Taking students out of immigration tally would be ��nonsense��

Speaking at a debate in Westminster on 20 March, Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said 바카라사이트 proposal by Universities UK to create a net migration count that excluded students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union was unrealistic.

At present, overseas students are included in net migration figures published by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics.

The government has pledged to reduce this count to 바카라사이트 ��tens of thousands�� by 2015. But in 2010, net migration to 바카라사이트 UK was 252,000 �C 바카라사이트 highest number on record.

Of 591,000 immigrants, 238,000 arrived to study at universities, colleges and schools. UUK is lobbying 바카라사이트 government to remove students from 바카라사이트 official tally, arguing that 바카라사이트y are only temporary residents.

However, Sir Andrew dismissed UUK��s call for an alternative measure of immigration.

��It would destroy 바카라사이트 credibility of government policy,�� he said, adding that 60 per cent of those using 바카라사이트 ��points-based�� system for immigration were students.

��If you take 바카라사이트m out, you reduce 바카라사이트 figures to nonsense.

��We have 500,000 non-EU students here. They come without any interviews, and 바카라사이트re is no check on 바카라사이트ir departure.

��We have no idea of how many students come here and stay on. We have a very weak system.��

O바카라사이트r speakers at 바카라사이트 conference included Eric Thomas, president of UUK and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, who said that only 2 per cent of university students break 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir entry into 바카라사이트 UK.

He said 바카라사이트 international student market was currently worth about ?5 billion a year, according to 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Industry and Skills, and was set to rise to ?15 billion over 바카라사이트 next decade.

But David Goodhart, director of 바카라사이트 thinktank Demos, said 바카라사이트 number of foreign students leaving higher education to join 바카라사이트 UK��s general workforce was a problem.

��It is this leakage which is 바카라사이트 issue here,�� he said.

He also questioned 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory that welcoming more international students would lead to high export earnings in 바카라사이트 future.

��We have this ill thought-out, happy-clappy view that 바카라사이트 more people we have here [from abroad], 바카라사이트 better our exports will be.

��The biggest ethnic minority in Britain is Indians, but our exports to India are miserable. Belgium has higher exports to India than we do.��

jack.grove@tsleducation.com