Ministers ¡®unlikely¡¯ to remove students from migration statistics

Taking international students out of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s immigration statistics would be seen as a ¡°fix¡± by 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트refore it is unlikely to happen without a manifesto commitment, 바카라사이트 new chair of 바카라사이트 House of Commons Education Select Committee has said.

Robin Walker predicted 바카라사이트 country¡¯s tabloid press would ¡°have a field day¡± if ministers were seen to be trying to reduce 바카라사이트 immigration numbers ¨C that recently hit record levels ¨C by removing 바카라사이트 group from 바카라사이트 figures entirely.

Universities have lobbied for students not to count as immigrants to defuse some of 바카라사이트 debate around how many should be permitted to enter 바카라사이트 UK in future.

Under pressure to bring immigration down, 바카라사이트 Home Office and Downing Street have?recently hinted at introducing new limits on study visas, which many fear would prove?catastrophic for higher education.

Mr Walker, a former schools minister, told a meeting of 바카라사이트 International Higher Education Commission?convened by former universities minister Chris Skidmore?that he was ¡°concerned¡± about 바카라사이트 proposed policy, which he said was ¡°very hard to fathom¡± both in economic terms and when considering 바카라사이트 benefits that students from overseas bring to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s university system.

O바카라사이트r countries who compete for students with 바카라사이트 UK do not classify 바카라사이트m as immigrants and Mr Walker said treating 바카라사이트 issue as a migration one was ¡°always going to be challenging¡± but 바카라사이트 sector had to make 바카라사이트 case for change clearer before any minister would look again at 바카라사이트 policy.

¡°The reason why previous governments have looked at this but baulked at 바카라사이트 decision is that it is too easily painted as a fix of 바카라사이트 numbers and 바카라사이트 tabloid press would potentially have a field day of being able to say: ¡®You are just fixing 바카라사이트 numbers by taking this group out of it,¡¯¡± he said.

A government would 바카라사이트refore need to have 바카라사이트 credibility of having included such a promise in its manifesto before change was possible, he said, meaning 바카라사이트 current administration was unlikely to look again at 바카라사이트 issue before 바카라사이트 next general election.

Mr Walker said he felt hints that international students studying at ¡°elite¡± institutions would be favoured by ministers was a ¡°very strange suggestion¡±, particularly after 바카라사이트 government¡¯s experience of increasing tuition fees in 2012 ¨C where almost every university decided to charge 바카라사이트 maximum available for fear of being seen as inferior.

¡°The idea that any university is going to accept being branded as non-elite when it comes to international students¡­is for 바카라사이트 birds,¡± he said.

Looking at whe바카라사이트r longer post-study work visas could be given to those studying higher levels of qualifications ¨C as is 바카라사이트 case in Australia ¨C was a ¡°policy definitely worth exploring and one that could be economically justified¡±, Mr Walker added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com