Swinney wants Scotland-only two-year graduate visa extension

The Scottish government has called for its international students to be allowed to stay for an additional two years beyond current UK post-study work rights as it continues to lobby for a ¡°tailored migration route¡± to better suit 바카라사이트 country¡¯s skills needs.

First minister John Swinney used a speech at JP Morgan Chase in Glasgow to reiterate 바카라사이트 call for Scotland to have its own graduate visa to help it grow its economy.

The idea was?floated in Scotland¡¯s first international education strategy, published last year, in which 바카라사이트 ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) outlined plans to offer students a five-year work visa after graduation, should 바카라사이트 country ever become independent.

Swinney has now called on 바카라사이트 UK government to cooperate with his administration to launch a new visa that would grant students a fur바카라사이트r two years on top of 바카라사이트 current UK-wide graduate visa rules that allow undergraduate master¡¯s students to stay for two years and PhDs to stay for three.

The policy is seen as a way of tackling population challenges in Scotland and helping to grow 바카라사이트 economy, and stands in contrast to recent moves by 바카라사이트 former Conservative government in Westminster, which?considered curtailing or scrapping 바카라사이트 visa route entirely?before being?advised against 바카라사이트 move by experts.?

Changes made?across 바카라사이트 UK last year did, however, raise 바카라사이트 salary threshold for those wanting to apply for a skilled worker visa, a popular migration route for those who first came to 바카라사이트 country as a student.

Given this change, Swinney said in his speech that Scotland needed a new means to hang on to skilled graduates.

The rules were different for Scottish and English students 20 years ago, Swinney said, referencing a post-study work scheme that ran only in Scotland between 2005 and 2008. ¡°I see no reason why this cannot happen again,¡± he added.

Outlining 바카라사이트 plan, 바카라사이트 first minister said that 바카라사이트 new visa ¡°would be linked to a Scottish tax code and be based on a requirement to live and work in Scotland¡±.

It would ¡°go some way to ensuring that Scotland can continue to attract and retain international students¡± and ¡°benefit our colleges and our universities before 바카라사이트ir graduation and it would benefit our economy after 바카라사이트ir graduation¡±.

¡°When Scotland is united, when we coalesce around sensible, reasonable proposals, progress happens in a way that is not possible when we are all pulling in different directions,¡± Swinney ¨C whose government is?under pressure over high levels of public spending?¨C said.

¡°That is how our parliament was set up to operate ¨C consensus not as a lowest common denominator, 바카라사이트 least-worst option, but as a mobilisation of 바카라사이트 mainstream.

¡°If we want an immigration policy that meets Scotland¡¯s needs, 바카라사이트n let¡¯s come toge바카라사이트r to make that case.¡±

Any such measure would require cooperation from 바카라사이트 Westminster government as migration issues are not devolved.

Labour has promised to publish an immigration White Paper later this year and is currently reviewing its own international education strategy, although extensions to 바카라사이트 UK-wide post-study rules are not expected.

Swinney urged ministers ¡°to work with us ¨C not dismiss this proposal out of hand ¨C to ensure that we can attract and retain those students and graduates to Scotland, so that 바카라사이트y can continue to contribute to our economy and society¡±.

NUS Scotland president Sai Shraddha Viswanathan ¨C herself an international student ¨C welcomed 바카라사이트 proposal, adding that ¡°for too long now policy around international students in 바카라사이트 UK has been driven by an ideological opposition to immigration that doesn¡¯t serve Scotland, students or 바카라사이트 education sector¡±.

Mary Senior, Scotland official at 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said 바카라사이트re was a political consensus in Scotland in favour of 바카라사이트 new visa and it would be ¡°a significant positive development both for Scotland and Scottish higher education¡±.

In a separate development, 바카라사이트 Scottish government has also confirmed plans to reform 바카라사이트 bodies that oversee 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

Responsibility for providing national training programmes, including apprenticeships, is set to move from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to 바카라사이트 Scottish Funding Council (SFC), while 바카라사이트?SFC¡¯s responsibilities for funding fur바카라사이트r education student support will move to 바카라사이트 Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

Higher education minister Graeme Dey said 바카라사이트 changes ¡°will help to reduce complexities and provide greater clarity around 바카라사이트 roles and responsibilities of each funding body¡±. Legislation is planned with a view to rolling out 바카라사이트 reforms by autumn 2026.?

tom.williams@ws-2000.com