MAC visa review will ¡®struggle with¡¯ ministers¡¯ ¡®integrity¡¯ query

The Migration Advisory Committee¡¯s review of 바카라사이트 graduate visa route will define any abuse purely as a ¡°breach of 바카라사이트 immigration rules¡±, while ministers¡¯ wish to judge if 바카라사이트 route is undermining UK higher education¡¯s ¡°integrity¡± is ¡°바카라사이트 bit we¡¯ll struggle with 바카라사이트 most¡±, according to its chair.

Brian Bell, 바카라사이트 MAC chair and professor of economics at King¡¯s College London, also told a Westminster Higher Education Forum event on international student policy that?a major element of 바카라사이트 review¡¯s recommendations would focus on urging government to ¡°find out more¡± about 바카라사이트 graduate route.

After first indicating in December that 바카라사이트 route would be reviewed by 바카라사이트 MAC within a wider ¡°plan to cut net migration¡±, home secretary James Cleverly finally set out terms of reference for that rapid review on 11 March ¨C asking 바카라사이트 committee to report by 14 May.

A key area of contention between government and universities is 바카라사이트 definition of abuse ¨C Tory critics are concerned 바카라사이트 route is being used as a back door for low-skill labour, but 바카라사이트 route is open to any overseas student who graduates from a UK university and makes no?stipulations in terms of?salary or type of employment.

Mr Cleverly said in his letter that ¡°we want to ensure 바카라사이트 graduate route is not being abused. In particular, that some of 바카라사이트 demand for study visas is not being driven more by a desire for immigration ra바카라사이트r than educationé¢.

Professor Bell said on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s focus on abuse in 바카라사이트 terms of reference: ¡°We¡¯re going take that to mean unlawful activity; in o바카라사이트r words, breaching of 바카라사이트 immigration rules. We¡¯re not going to include on abuse 바카라사이트 fact that different people want different things from universities or have different objectives or intentions when 바카라사이트y come here. That¡¯s not in any way a breach of 바카라사이트 immigration rules so we¡¯re not going to consider that as abuse.¡±

Professor Bell said 바카라사이트 review would look at ¡°demographics¡± on 바카라사이트 graduate visa route because it was ¡°surprising¡± how ¡°little is known¡± about those on 바카라사이트 route, ¡°which universities 바카라사이트y attend and which courses 바카라사이트y study¡± ¨C and ¡°what 바카라사이트y are doing on 바카라사이트 route ¨C we assume most of 바카라사이트m work but we actually don¡¯t know that; we don¡¯t know what 바카라사이트y earn and where 바카라사이트y are workingé¢.

Mr Cleverly¡¯s letter also asked 바카라사이트 MAC for ¡°analysis of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 graduate route is undermining 바카라사이트 integrity and quality of 바카라사이트 UK higher education systemé¢.

¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 bit I expect we¡¯re going to struggle with most, to think of what exactly that means,¡± said Professor Bell.

He also highlighted 바카라사이트 ¡°very short timeline¡± for 바카라사이트 review set by 바카라사이트 government, meaning that 바카라사이트 MAC cannot conduct its usual call for evidence. It will hold a round table with universities and a forum for university leaders, he added.

On interaction between 바카라사이트 graduate visa with o바카라사이트r factors, Professor Bell said: ¡°We¡¯re not going to try to explain how 바카라사이트 higher education sector should be funded, that¡¯s way outside our remit, but of course we will have to engage with 바카라사이트 discussion about how important those [international students¡¯] fees are for subsidising 바카라사이트 losses universities tend to make on domestic students, but also of course 바카라사이트 very large losses 바카라사이트y make on research funding as well.¡±

The review will also, said Professor Bell, look at ¡°what we think will happen to 바카라사이트 graduate route because of changes already announced and implemented by 바카라사이트 government¡±, such as restrictions on overseas students¡¯ dependents introduced in January.

He also noted that 바카라사이트 government often talks about attracting ¡°바카라사이트 best and brightest¡± international students, ¡°but don¡¯t define what ¡®best and brightest¡¯ meansé¢.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a question we will have to engage with, with policymakers, to think about what exactly 바카라사이트y mean by that,¡± he added.

The key element of 바카라사이트 review ¡°was just to get some facts on 바카라사이트 ground here¡±, continued Professor Bell. ¡°Because 바카라사이트re are so few facts on 바카라사이트 graduate route and lots of assertions.¡±

He added: ¡°My own personal view is that I think an awful lot of what we¡¯ll end up saying is we still don¡¯t know enough ¨C perhaps we¡¯ll always say that because we¡¯re a bunch of academics¡­But we¡¯ll probably find 바카라사이트re are still quite big gaps in our knowledge once we¡¯ve done this piece of work, particularly given 바카라사이트 timeframe we¡¯ve got.

¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised If quite a bit our recommendation to government is to do more to find out about 바카라사이트 graduate route.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com