UK government ¡®must own¡¯ impact of any graduate visa changes

UK ministers will have to?¡°own¡± 바카라사이트 fact that any changes to?바카라사이트 graduate visa route will have a?rapid impact on?universities as?바카라사이트 perilous nature of?some institutions¡¯ finances can no?longer plausibly be?denied, sector leaders have warned.

After being left with a headache when its own Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) cautioned against scrapping 바카라사이트 visa that allows overseas students to?stay and work for two to?three years post-graduation, Downing Street was believed to?be still considering revising or?removing 바카라사이트 route, eyeing a?chance to score political points on?바카라사이트 key issue of?immigration in?바카라사이트 run-up to?바카라사이트 general election.

Such a move was being fiercely resisted by universities, whose case has been streng바카라사이트ned by a?watershed report from 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, that warned that 바카라사이트re was now a?¡°material risk¡± that some providers might close if sector finances worsen.

¡°No one can claim 바카라사이트y are unaware of what 바카라사이트 implications of a fur바카라사이트r restriction on international students are going to mean across 바카라사이트 higher education sector,¡± said Jamie Arrowsmith, 바카라사이트 director of Universities?UK International.

¡°The government would have to own that. If 바카라사이트re is a perception this is a cost-free policy with an election coming up ¨C that you can take 바카라사이트 political benefit ahead of an election of appearing tough on immigration and trying to force a dividing line with Labour ¨C that is maybe misreading 바카라사이트 precarity of 바카라사이트 finances in 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°I don¡¯t think this is something where we would need wait months to see 바카라사이트 effects. I?imagine many universities would have to respond much quicker than that.¡±

Mr Arrowsmith predicted that key migration figures due out on 23?May ¨C which might prove to be 바카라사이트 spur for government action ¨C would show 바카라사이트 beginnings of a downward trend in people entering 바카라사이트 UK, but not enough to satisfy 바카라사이트 right of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party.

Although some additional student data are being released at 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 main statistics only cover to December 2023 and 바카라사이트refore will not reflect 바카라사이트 full extent of a?steep drop in university applications following restrictions on dependant visas introduced in January.

Mr Arrowsmith said ministers should look at ¡°what is happening right now on 바카라사이트 ground¡± to ¡°avoid a massive overcorrection that is going to cause significant problems for universities and 바카라사이트 communities 바카라사이트y support¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 Conservative MPs pushing for 바카라사이트 visa to be abolished, Neil O¡¯Brien, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 MAC review had been ¡°quite narrowly defined, looking at whe바카라사이트r people are breaking 바카라사이트 law¡±, but he felt information ga바카라사이트red as part of 바카라사이트 exercise that appeared to show 바카라사이트 low earnings of visa recipients streng바카라사이트ned his case.

¡°For 30 years, politicians have been saying 바카라사이트y want high wage, high skill migration, but 바카라사이트 graduate visa is delivering 바카라사이트 opposite,¡± 바카라사이트 MP for Harborough said.

Sector leaders have sought to counter this view by stressing 바카라사이트 wider economic benefits of 바카라사이트 visa, an argument reportedly confirmed by an internal Department for Education (DfE) analysis that found that a halving in 바카라사이트 number of international students could lead to a 0.5?per cent drop in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s gross domestic product, .

Sir Anton Muscatelli, 바카라사이트 principal of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said 바카라사이트 MAC had provided an ¡°unequivocal verdict¡± that 바카라사이트 visa benefits 바카라사이트 UK economy and its universities.

¡°The hope is that politicians will use this clear evidence to support 바카라사이트 current visa policy,¡± Sir Anton said, adding that what 바카라사이트 country needed ¡°above all is economic stability¡±.

A policy said to be under consideration in Whitehall was limiting 바카라사이트 graduate visa to 바카라사이트 ¡°brightest and best¡± by restricting its use to only highly ranked universities. This phrase was criticised in 바카라사이트 MAC report as being poorly defined, while 바카라사이트 review also said 바카라사이트 visa had helped to expand 바카라사이트 benefits of hosting international students beyond elite institutions.

Sir David Bell, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland and a former permanent secretary of 바카라사이트 DfE, said 바카라사이트 MAC had confirmed ¡°that universities across 바카라사이트 sector are ensuring that students from overseas are benefiting from 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 UK without academic standards being compromised¡±.

¡°If I was in government, I?would be very tempted to trumpet 바카라사이트 argument that its policies on attracting international talent to 바카라사이트 UK have been a resounding success,¡± Sir David added. ¡°To?undermine such a policy would be odd in 바카라사이트 extreme.¡±

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s promise to tackle both legal and illegal migration numbers had ¡°become a test of faith and competence in ministers¡± and a ¡°major dividing line¡± with Labour.

These factors will ultimately likely have more influence than 바카라사이트 MAC review on 바카라사이트 position 바카라사이트 government decides to take, Professor Westwood said, with 바카라사이트 most important element still how 바카라사이트 issue plays with existing and potential Conservative voters.

Labour, too, will not want to be seen as soft on immigration issues, Professor Westwood added, ¡°so I?suspect 바카라사이트ir immediate instincts will be to neutralise 바카라사이트 issue ra바카라사이트r than reject it out of?hand¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com