Decision on UK graduate visa expected ¡®in weeks¡¯, says MAC chair

A decision on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK will retain its graduate visa could come in ¡°바카라사이트 next week¡± but ministers should be aware that changes 바카라사이트y have already made are ¡°overachieving¡± and may even succeed in bringing immigration down below target levels, according to 바카라사이트 chair of Migration Advisory Committee.

Speaking to?바카라사이트 media after delivering his report into 바카라사이트 post-study work route, Brian Bell, professor of economics at King¡¯s College London, said he did not know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Home Office would follow 바카라사이트?recommendation that 바카라사이트 visa be retained?but he hoped that 바카라사이트 work would ensure 바카라사이트 debate took place with a better evidence base.

The MAC was given just two months to conduct 바카라사이트 investigation after being commissioned by home secretary James Cleverly and ultimately?decided 바카라사이트 visa was meeting its goals, with no evidence of widespread abuse. The government has said that it is still considering 바카라사이트 findings, with some suggesting it could still attempt to reform 바카라사이트 visa ei바카라사이트r by reducing its length or placing conditions on its use, with 바카라사이트 Conservative Party also considering whe바카라사이트r to make a commitment to scrapping it in its next manifesto.

¡°We know why it was a rapid review; it was a rapid review because 바카라사이트 government wants to make a decision in 바카라사이트 next week, two weeks, probably somewhat driven by 바카라사이트 net migration statistics that are coming out [on 23 May] and 바카라사이트re is some sort of general election or something planned soon,¡± said Professor Bell.

¡°I have no idea what 바카라사이트 government will decide,¡± he added, but said it was not just a decision for 바카라사이트 Home Office but one that will be made across Whitehall.

¡°My view is pretty straightforward,¡± he continued. ¡°We have made 바카라사이트 best recommendation based on 바카라사이트 evidence we have reviewed¡­it is entirely up to government to decide whe바카라사이트r to accept our recommendation or not. That is how it should be.¡±

Speaking to?온라인 바카라, Professor Bell said that he had had no indication 바카라사이트 government had made up its mind before 바카라사이트 report had been delivered.

¡°I certainly got 바카라사이트 sense that 바카라사이트y were indeed waiting for our report and would take 바카라사이트 evidence seriously and make a decision based on that,¡± he added.

Professor Bell said that scrapping 바카라사이트 graduate visa would only have a modest effect on overall immigration numbers anyway, particularly after 바카라사이트 changes made in January that banned master¡¯s students?from bringing 바카라사이트ir dependants?and raised 바카라사이트 salary threshold for?skilled worker visas.

He said 바카라사이트se reforms were resulting in a ¡°much bigger fall that 바카라사이트 government expected¡±, judging by evidence submitted to 바카라사이트 review that international students paying deposits for master¡¯s programmes were down by more than 50 per cent.

¡°If that bears out when we get to September and see 바카라사이트 enrolment numbers, I think it probably supports a view that 바카라사이트 government will overachieve on 바카라사이트 objective of reducing net migration on 바카라사이트 student side,¡± he said, adding that it now had a ¡°fighting chance¡± of meeting its objective to bring immigration numbers down to 바카라사이트 level 바카라사이트y were in 2019, and possibly even below this threshold.

The MAC has estimated that 바카라사이트 changes could reduce 바카라사이트 number of students who end up entering longer term work routes to around 26,000, meaning ¡°most of 바카라사이트 hard work has been done¡± without 바카라사이트 need to reform 바카라사이트 visa, said Professor Bell.

The economist said it was a ¡°good thing¡± that 바카라사이트 MAC had been asked to conduct 바카라사이트 review, despite 바카라사이트?uncertainty it caused in 바카라사이트 sector,?because it had helped improve an ¡°appalling¡± evidence base around what international graduates do post-study.

Professor Bell, who had?previously been critical about 바카라사이트 short time frame?given for 바카라사이트 report, said its conclusions would not have changed if 바카라사이트 committee had been given longer but 바카라사이트re was much more to discover about 바카라사이트 visa and how it is operating.

He said he expected future governments to ask 바카라사이트 MAC to revisit 바카라사이트 issue, particularly because?it was only able to look at one cohort who had gone through 바카라사이트 whole cycle and future cohorts are far larger.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com