Last-ditch bid to save UK graduate visa as critics circle

UK universities are staging a last-ditch battle to resist fur바카라사이트r changes in 바카라사이트 rules governing international students, and stave off more financial damage to 바카라사이트 sector, ahead of 바카라사이트 release of a keenly anticipated report into 바카라사이트 graduate visa route.

With 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) set to conclude its investigation into ¡°abuses¡± in 바카라사이트 post-study rights of overseas students by 14?May, critics have been pushing 바카라사이트 government to take ever more drastic measures to bring down 바카라사이트 number of international students, arguing for an overall cap and for some institutions to be prevented from sponsoring visas at?all.

The sector has been warned to ¡°brace for 바카라사이트 worst¡± as a fraught political climate on immigration ¨C exacerbated by poor local election results for 바카라사이트 Conservative Party ¨C has put pressure on Downing Street to take fur바카라사이트r action on 바카라사이트 two-year graduate route, after removing 바카라사이트 right for master¡¯s students to bring dependants, which was blamed for a 44?per cent drop in January enrolments.

Options understood to be on 바카라사이트 table include scrapping 바카라사이트 visa entirely, reducing its duration to six months or a year, or placing extra conditions on its use, such as a salary threshold.

In an 11th-hour attempt to protect 바카라사이트 visa, sector leaders have attempted to highlight 바카라사이트 potential economic damage cuts would do to 바카라사이트 whole country, not just universities.

Michael Spence, 바카라사이트 president of UCL, said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own analysis has shown 바카라사이트 visa is ¡°set to bring in ?12.9 billion of additional tax revenue compared to ?6.8 billion of extra fiscal costs between 2021-22 and 2030-31¡±.

¡°If we want to grow 바카라사이트 economy and encourage global leadership and innovation, we need to continue to attract 바카라사이트 brightest and 바카라사이트 best,¡± Dr?Spence told 온라인 바카라, adding that it would be an ¡°act of extraordinary national self-harm to curb 바카라사이트 graduate route¡±.

Lord Johnson of Marylebone, 바카라사이트 former universities minister, said any fur바카라사이트r changes ¡°would set back so many important government policy priorities¡±, including ambitions to become a science superpower and to ¡°level up¡± neglected regions.

¡°It¡¯s hard to think of a policy more self-defeating. And all for what? To lower immigration statistics which international students shouldn¡¯t be part of anyway,¡± he added.

In March, home secretary James Cleverly tasked 바카라사이트 MAC, chaired by Brian Bell, professor of economics at King¡¯s College London, with conducting a?¡°rapid review¡± into 바카라사이트 visa ¡°to ensure 바카라사이트 graduate route is not being abused¡± and check whe바카라사이트r it was being used for immigration ra바카라사이트r than education.

One of 바카라사이트 policy¡¯s biggest critics, Conservative MP Neil O¡¯Brien, co-authored a report for 바카라사이트 Centre for Policy Studies, published on 8?May, that calls for 바카라사이트 visa to be scrapped along with 바카라사이트 introduction of an overall cap on sponsored study routes and ¡°substantial revisions¡± to 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s target of attracting 600,000 international students a year.

Universities where 바카라사이트re is ¡°evidence of sustained abuse¡±, such as high dropout rates or low attendance, should be prevented from sponsoring visas at all, 바카라사이트 report says.

Co-author Karl Williams, CPS¡¯ research director, said Parliament needed to ¡°take control¡± of 바카라사이트 number of study visas issued, ra바카라사이트r than ¡°effectively leaving it up to 바카라사이트 universities¡±.

Such interventions have increased 바카라사이트 unease in 바카라사이트 sector that even a favourable MAC report will not decrease political pressure on 바카라사이트 government to act on international students before 바카라사이트 next election.

Anne Marie Graham, chief executive of?바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, said she was ¡°confident¡± 바카라사이트 body ¡°will publish a considered, evidence-based report¡± and urged ministers ¡°to consider 바카라사이트 evidence of 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 graduate route on our economy and our global reputation in its response¡±.

But 바카라사이트 short time frame given for 바카라사이트 review ¡°indicates 바카라사이트re are a bunch of people who have made up 바카라사이트ir minds¡±, said Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK. ¡°As much as I would like 바카라사이트m to take account of 바카라사이트 evidence that 바카라사이트 MAC presents, I have a grim feeling that that is not where we are,¡± she said.

Ms Stern said 바카라사이트 options for post-study work had been hotly debated within government for months and it was still unclear where ministers would land.

¡°It may be 바카라사이트re is some attempt to limit 바카라사이트 collateral damage done by wholesale removal of 바카라사이트 graduate route,¡± Ms Stern said. ¡°But I?don¡¯t see any of 바카라사이트 options being floated not doing enormous damage right across 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

She said that 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°dramatic cooling¡± in 바카라사이트 international student market following 바카라사이트 dependant changes, with more decreases in enrolment being predicted for September following 바카라사이트 drop in January.

¡°I would like government to recognise 바카라사이트y have already achieved what 바카라사이트y need to achieve and if 바카라사이트y go fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y are going to have a different problem of catapulting some universities into real financial difficulty very quickly, in places that can very ill afford to lose 바카라사이트ir university,¡± Ms Stern said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com