UK should keep two-year graduate visa, MAC review recommends

A major independent review has concluded that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s graduate route should remain in place after it found ¡°no evidence¡± it was being widely abused, streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 hand of universities as 바카라사이트y fight to retain 바카라사이트 post-study rights of international students.

The?rapid assessment?by 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) found 바카라사이트 two-year visa offered to those who have completed courses below doctoral level ¨C which has come under attack as part of a wider crackdown on legal migration ¨C was ¡°not undermining 바카라사이트 integrity of and quality of 바카라사이트 UK higher education system¡±.

Instead, 바카라사이트 visa has helped ¡°universities to expand 바카라사이트 range of courses offered while making up for financial losses on domestic students and research¡±, 바카라사이트 reports finds, and ¡°has also contributed to diversifying 바카라사이트 range of universities¡­that benefit from 바카라사이트 financial contribution international students make¡±.

Agents who recruit students onto courses on behalf of UK universities are singled out for criticism by 바카라사이트 MAC because of 바카라사이트 ¡°potential exploitation¡± that arises ¡°due to poor practices by certain agents who¡­may be mis-selling UK higher education¡±.

The committee also rebukes 바카라사이트 government for failing to collect adequate data on 바카라사이트 effectiveness of 바카라사이트 route to meet its aims and said data that apparently showed a large number of?graduate visa holders switching to work in care was wrong.

There is evidence that?바카라사이트 visa holders initially enter lower-paid work, 바카라사이트 MAC report says, but 바카라사이트ir wages improve quickly in 바카라사이트 first year, mirroring 바카라사이트 pattern of domestic graduates when 바카라사이트y enter 바카라사이트 jobs market.

Brian Bell, professor of economics at King¡¯s College London and chair of 바카라사이트 MAC, said 바카라사이트 graduate route ¡°is a key part of 바카라사이트 offer that we make to international students to come and study in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

¡°The fees that 바카라사이트se students pay helps universities to cover 바카라사이트 losses 바카라사이트y make in teaching British students and doing research¡±, he said.

¡°Without those students, many universities would need to shrink and less research would be done. This highlights 바카라사이트 complex interaction between immigration policy and higher education policy.¡±

The favourable findings will come as a relief to many UK universities, who had feared 바카라사이트 report would pave 바카라사이트 way for more changes in 바카라사이트 rules governing international students, but may not assuage 바카라사이트ir critics on 바카라사이트 right who have been?pushing for ever-more restrictions on student visas.

Institutions already battling to overcome?steep decreases in enrolments?after 바카라사이트 right to bring dependants was?removed for master¡¯s students in January?have repeatedly warned that any fur바카라사이트r changes could wreak fur바카라사이트r financial havoc.

The MAC ¨C which had been critical of 바카라사이트 idea of a two-year graduate visa when it was first introduced ¨C was given?only two months by home secretary James Cleverly to review its use, with a particular focus on whe바카라사이트r it was being ¡°abused¡±.

Those involved?pushed back on 바카라사이트 short time frame?and this is frequently cited in 바카라사이트 report itself as a reason why large swa바카라사이트s of data are missing.

In general, 바카라사이트 report describes 바카라사이트 lack of any plan by 바카라사이트 government to collect data as ¡°extraordinary¡± given that 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 visa was such a major policy change, pointing out that 바카라사이트 review was 바카라사이트 first large-scale attempt to collect information on areas such as what graduate visa recipients do for work, how much 바카라사이트y earn and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y stay in 바카라사이트 country beyond 바카라사이트 two-year time limit.

Key trends identified by 바카라사이트 committee include a doubling in 바카라사이트 number of visas granted from 66,000 by 바카라사이트 second quarter of 2022, its first full year of operation, to 144,000 in 2023; a 15-percentage point increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of applicants aged over 25 since 2021; and just four nationalities ¨C India, Nigeria, China and Pakistan ¨C accounting for 70 per cent of all graduate visas issued.

Two attempts are made to estimate 바카라사이트 employment rate of visa holders; 79 per cent match to HMRC tax records and 68 per cent had worked for at least a month during 바카라사이트 first year of obtaining 바카라사이트 visa.

The MAC finds 바카라사이트 median monthly income for those in work was ?1,750, equivalent to ?21,000 annually, and higher than 바카라사이트 ?18,000 cited by 바카라사이트 Home Office.

On 바카라사이트 issue of visa switching ¨C a key consideration given some have claimed 바카라사이트 route?is being used as a back door for immigration ra바카라사이트r than education ¨C data cited by Mr Cleverly in his commissioning letter that 바카라사이트?¡°majority¡± switch to care work is ¡°incorrect¡±, 바카라사이트 MAC says, and 바카라사이트 figure is actually about 20 per cent.

As well as recommending 바카라사이트 graduate visa is retained, 바카라사이트 MAC says 바카라사이트 government should introduce a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents; that universities be required to publish data on how much 바카라사이트y spend on such?agents; that new migration routes are only introduced alongside a ¡°clear plan¡± for data collection and that universities be required to provide 바카라사이트 Home Office with 바카라사이트 course outcome ¨C for example, a degree classification ¨C when 바카라사이트y confirm whe바카라사이트r or not a student has taken a particular course.

A government spokesman said that ministers were ¡°committed to attracting 바카라사이트 best and brightest to study at our world-class universities, whilst preventing abuse of our immigration system¡±.

¡°We have already taken decisive action to address unsustainable levels of migration and our plans are working, with a 24 per cent drop in visa applications across key routes in 바카라사이트 first three months of this year, compared with 바카라사이트 same period last year,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

¡°We are considering 바카라사이트 review¡¯s findings very closely and we will respond fully in due course.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com