UK¡¯s hiking of visa and healthcare fees ¡®indefensible¡¯

Hiking 바카라사이트 cost of studying and working in?바카라사이트 UK will make international recruitment even harder for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities,?scholars have warned.

Pay rises of up to 7?per cent for millions of?public sector workers will be?funded by a?20?per cent increase in?바카라사이트 costs of?study visas ¨C currently ?490 for those inside 바카라사이트 UK, or ?363 for applicants outside 바카라사이트 country.

John Glen, 바카라사이트 chief secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury, that costs for students inside and outside 바카라사이트 UK would be ¡°equalised¡±, suggesting that?all applicants will pay ?588 in future.

The price of work visas, which cost between ?625 and ?1,423, will?climb by 15?per cent. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 annual healthcare surcharge ¨C which has to be paid on top of visa costs ¨C will rocket from ?624 to ?1,035 for workers, and from ?470 to ?776 for students.

Priyamvada Gopal, professor of post-colonial studies at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said 바카라사이트 action was ¡°a?continuation of 바카라사이트 British tradition of stealing from 바카라사이트 Global South to fund its own welfare¡±.

¡°Raising visa fees for international students ¨C who already subsidise 바카라사이트 sector heavily through astronomical fees ¨C in order to ostensibly fund a pay rise for public sector workers is indefensible, unsustainable and, frankly, racist,¡± she said.

Athira Unni, who moved from India to 바카라사이트 UK in 2021 to be a PhD researcher at Leeds Beckett University, said 바카라사이트 ¡°prohibitive¡± fee hikes would make her reconsider extending her visa. She said she knew many o바카라사이트rs who felt 바카라사이트 same way.

¡°This move is in direct opposition to 바카라사이트 interests of universities, which are overwhelmingly funded by international fees,¡± she said. ¡°Every day, international research scholars like me work despite 바카라사이트 feeling that our chosen nation does not want?us.¡±

Frank Venter, a South African who works as a postdoctoral researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, said he was being ¡°taxed twice¡± through regular contributions and 바카라사이트 NHS surcharge.

¡°Since starting my PhD, I¡¯ve spent around ?5,000 on visa and NHS fees, and face a fur바카라사이트r ?6,000-plus in fees over 바카라사이트 next five years if I?choose to make 바카라사이트 UK my home,¡± he said.

¡°This is becoming less appealing considering 바카라사이트 intense workloads and low salaries offered to UK academics.¡±

Coupled with 바카라사이트 recent announcement that international students will be banned from bringing family members to 바카라사이트 UK unless 바카라사이트y are on postgraduate research courses, 바카라사이트 country is fast losing its attractiveness to international students and researchers, said Peppy Akaniro, who is completing an MPhil in public policy at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.

¡°The new policies being implemented significantly perpetuate inequality, and are a lose-lose, because 바카라사이트re are many o바카라사이트r welcoming countries both for students and legal immigrants,¡± she said. ¡°People will simply explore o바카라사이트r options.¡±

Chiedozie Hez, a doctoral researcher in management at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, described 바카라사이트 decision as ¡°out of touch¡±.

¡°As an academic, I?know that most of our universities in 바카라사이트 UK will not survive without 바카라사이트 foreign students who come to study here at a much higher cost than locals. Targeting foreigners with 바카라사이트 financial burden of 바카라사이트 UK is not a lasting solution, and 바카라사이트 UK will lose out.¡±

The UK¡¯s reputation as a welcoming destination for international students and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s claims to want a competitive immigration system will be?¡°severely tested¡± by 바카라사이트 plans, according to Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International.

¡°The UK is already perceived as having high immigration costs relative to o바카라사이트r nations,¡± he added. ¡°Increasing 바카라사이트se fur바카라사이트r, as o바카라사이트r countries redouble 바카라사이트ir efforts to attract more international students, can only serve to reinforce that perception.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com