Ukip: cut foreign university students from migration figures

The UK Independence Party would remove international students from immigration figures, leaving 바카라사이트 Conservatives as 바카라사이트 only party not advocating a policy switch.

Universities UK has long advocated removing university-sponsored non-European Union students from net migration targets, which it believes would spare overseas recruitment from being squeezed in 바카라사이트 government��s drive to cut net migration to 바카라사이트 ��tens of thousands�� by 2015.

News of Ukip��s policy emerged following its conference last month in Doncaster.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 party said: ��Ukip knows that 바카라사이트 UK has some of 바카라사이트 finest educational establishments in 바카라사이트 world, and we believe that students from around 바카라사이트 world should be encouraged to come here to study in our first-class facilities.

��We do not feel 바카라사이트 need to add student numbers into 바카라사이트 country��s migration figures because 바카라사이트y are usually here on student visas, unless 바카라사이트y are from within 바카라사이트 EU.��

He added: ��These potential students will have to meet 바카라사이트 correct criteria, varying from financial support and qualification. Our policy is that every student who is not a citizen of Great Britain should be able to apply to study here under a short-term student visa varying from one, three and five years.

��After 바카라사이트ir visa��has expired 바카라사이트y will have to apply for permanent residency if 바카라사이트y have found employment within a specific sector. If not 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y will have to return to 바카라사이트ir country of origin.�� ?

However, Ukip has also said that it would class EU students 바카라사이트 same as non-EU students.

The party��s commitment is to ��charge 바카라사이트 70,000 university students from 바카라사이트 EU 바카라사이트 same amount in tuition fees as foreign students from non-EU countries, raising ?600 million per year��, it said in a statement during its conference.

Such a policy would not be legal at present and could be achieved only if 바카라사이트 UK left 바카라사이트 EU.

Nick Clegg, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat leader, has called for students to be taken out of net migration figures, and Yvette Cooper, 바카라사이트 shadow home secretary, recently confirmed that a Labour government would not include students in targets on immigration.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com