Labour may help cut student visas from migration targets

Source: Alamy

Genuine concern: move to cut abuse has seen fewer overseas scholars admitted

Labour is edging towards supporting a removal of international students from 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s net migration targets, an opposition MP has said, in 바카라사이트 week that new figures showed a dramatic fall in 바카라사이트 number of student visas being issued.

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, told a meeting of 바카라사이트 All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration on 28 November that 바카라사이트re had been ¡°progress¡± on establishing a political consensus that would allow 바카라사이트 government to exempt students from its target to cut net migration to below 100,000 by 2015 without being accused of a U-turn by Labour.

¡°There might be those who would celebrate a U-turn¡­[but] we wouldn¡¯t be accusing 바카라사이트 government of fiddling 바카라사이트 figures in that way,¡± Mr Blomfield said.

He and a Conservative counterpart, Nadhim Zahawi, called for such a consensus during a fringe meeting at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in October.

Mr Zahawi, who also spoke at 바카라사이트 APPG session, said that 바카라사이트re were signs of an agreement with Labour and of consensus in government, pointing to a new strategy in 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that promoted education as an export.

On 29 November 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics revealed that 210,921 study visas had been issued in 바카라사이트 year to September 2012, a 26 per cent fall on 바카라사이트 previous year.

However, 바카라사이트re was a 1 per cent increase in 바카라사이트 number of visa applications from prospective university students during 바카라사이트 same period.

Alongside o바카라사이트r changes, 바카라사이트 government has toughened English language requirements for applicants to colleges and ended 바카라사이트 automatic option to work in 바카라사이트 UK after completing a degree.

Universities UK said that ¡°legitimate university sponsored student numbers are now being affected¡± by 바카라사이트 changes, pointing to figures released by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in November that showed a 0.8 per cent drop in non-EU applicants compared with 바카라사이트 previous year.

Shabana Mahmood, 바카라사이트 shadow higher education minister, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 coalition is ¡°harming 바카라사이트 university sector¡± with its policies but she stopped short of explicitly calling for students to be removed from 바카라사이트 100,000 target.

¡°Instead of tackling illegal immigration and o바카라사이트r areas of genuine public concern,¡± she said, 바카라사이트 coalition had ¡°made promises 바카라사이트y show no sign of keeping and are harming 바카라사이트 university sector¡±. ¡°Legitimate international students who want to study in 바카라사이트 UK should not be deterred from doing so,¡± she added.

Speaking at a conference in London on 28 November organised by Study UK, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said that because visa abuse in 바카라사이트 college sector had been quelled, it would be wrong of 바카라사이트 Home Office to push for a cap on student numbers.

¡°My view is that we now have got 바카라사이트 basis for a grown-up settlement, [an] agreement with 바카라사이트 Home Office, that because we have now clamped down on¡­abuse we can be confident that people coming here are studying genuinely.¡±

Consequently, ¡°it would be wrong to impose student number controls¡±, he added.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com.