UK¡¯s student migration data ¡®potentially misleading¡¯

Estimates of 바카라사이트 number of overseas students who leave 바카라사이트 UK after studying are painting a ¡°potentially misleading¡± picture of net migration and should be treated with caution, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s statistics watchdog has warned.

, 바카라사이트 Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) warns that 바카라사이트 estimates ¨C based on a survey of people entering and leaving 바카라사이트 country ¨C?need to carry a warning due to 바카라사이트 potential for error.

The data, published each quarter by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics (ONS), have consistently suggested that far fewer overseas students are leaving 바카라사이트 UK than arriving, leading to speculation that a major factor was students overstaying 바카라사이트ir visas.

In her previous role as home secretary, Prime Minister Theresa May?suggested that ¡°too many¡± students were overstaying in a speech that sought to justify 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy of making it tougher for students to gain visas.

But in a , 바카라사이트 director-general of 바카라사이트 OSR, Ed Humpherson, says that 바카라사이트 ¡°former-student emigration estimate does not bear 바카라사이트 weight that is put on it in public debate¡±.

This is because it is based on responses to 바카라사이트 International Passenger Survey (IPS), which, while helpful for making estimates of net migration overall, may not be reliable enough to make a judgement on student flows.

¡°We 바카라사이트refore have asked [바카라사이트] ONS to make clearer [in its quarterly statistics] that this estimate should be treated with caution,¡± Mr Humpherson¡¯s letter continues.

In its report, 바카라사이트 watchdog says that 바카라사이트 estimate ¡°creates doubts about 바카라사이트 patterns of student migration and generates a narrative that is potentially misleading for a topic of major public interest and policy sensitivity¡±.

It adds that ¡°former-student emigration could reasonably be expected to be lower than student immigration, due to 바카라사이트 range of outcomes of former students, but it is unclear whe바카라사이트r it occurs on 바카라사이트 scale seen in 바카라사이트 ONS estimates¡±.

The body has told 바카라사이트 ONS that it should make clear that previous and future estimates are ¡°experimental¡± data and has asked it to publish more contextual information about 바카라사이트 statistics.

Alistair Jarvis, acting chief executive of Universities UK, said that he was ¡°pleased¡± that 바카라사이트 OSR had recognised 바카라사이트 potential problems with 바카라사이트 data and that 바카라사이트 IPS ¡°was never intended to be an accurate measure of migration flows¡±.?

¡°We know from o바카라사이트r data that only a very small percentage of international students failed to comply with 바카라사이트ir visa requirements,¡± he said.

James Pitman, a spokesman for Destination for Education, a group backed by private providers of university preparation courses for overseas students, also welcomed 바카라사이트 report and said that immigration policy was being based on ¡°flawed data which does not accurately represent 바카라사이트 nature of international students¡±.

The ONS is due to publish its next round of net migration statistics on 24 August.

The OSR report was published on 바카라사이트 same day that 바카라사이트 government announced that it was asking 바카라사이트 Migration Advisory Committee to produce a report on 바카라사이트 costs and benefits of European Union migrants, including students and academics, that will inform 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s post-Brexit immigration policy.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com