Concessions on Indian student immigration could give UK a post-Brexit boost

When I arrived from India as a 19-year-old student in 바카라사이트 early 1980s, 바카라사이트 UK was a very different country. In many ways, it was less open than now, but several institutions in London ¨C such as 바카라사이트 Indian YMCA, founded in 1920, and 바카라사이트 India Club, which has stood on 바카라사이트 Strand since 바카라사이트 1940s ¨C testified to 바카라사이트 welcome that Indian students had received going back a century.

But those hoping to take 바카라사이트 same path as I did have faced more barriers in recent years, and 바카라사이트 number of Indian students in 바카라사이트 UK accordingly remains 50 per cent below its peak in 2010, despite a slight recovery since 2015, standing at barely 15,000. Meanwhile, during a trip to India last month, 바카라사이트 Canadian high commissioner proudly informed me that 바카라사이트re are now 100,000 Indian students in Canada ¨C more than six times 바카라사이트 UK figure.

The reason for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s decline as a destination for Indian students is 바카라사이트 rigid stance on immigration adopted by 바카라사이트 prime minister (and former home secretary), Theresa May. With her target to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 tens of thousands, 바카라사이트 treating of students as immigrants leads to negative perceptions in India of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s restrictive visa regime: perceptions that discourage Indian entrepreneurs, highly skilled workers and talented students from even looking to get started in 바카라사이트 UK. During my trip to India, I saw newspaper adverts from companies promoting international study in Canada, 바카라사이트 US and Australia, but 바카라사이트re was no mention of 바카라사이트 UK.

There is no justification for seeking to reduce numbers of international students. Universities UK last year suggesting that 바카라사이트y contribute ?25 billion a year to 바카라사이트 UK economy. Just last month, ano바카라사이트r study by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan International Pathways put 바카라사이트ir net contribution (accounting for things such as 바카라사이트ir cost to public services) at ?20 billion.

Moreover, we now know that 바카라사이트 number of international students overstaying 바카라사이트ir UK visas has been hugely overstated, based on flawed International Passenger Survey statistics that were last year downgraded to ¡°experimental¡±. The actual number of overstayers has been declared by 바카라사이트 UK government to be 4,500 a year: not 바카라사이트 100,000 scaremongering figure that was constantly being alluded to by ministers.

The prime minister missed an opportunity last month to show that 바카라사이트 government had learned a lesson from this. Instead of bowing to from leading Cabinet ministers for students to be removed from net migration figures, she chose to dig her heels in once more.

Closing 바카라사이트 automatic two-year post-study work visa route has also had a negative impact on recruitment of Indian students. On a purchasing-power parity basis, living and studying in 바카라사이트 UK is expensive: 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 work visa in 2008 made a significant difference by enabling international students to work to help pay for 바카라사이트ir studies, gain valuable work experience and contribute to 바카라사이트 economy ¨C not to mention build generation-long relationships with 바카라사이트 UK.

The prime minister¡¯s intransigence comes at a time when 바카라사이트 UK faces a future outside 바카라사이트 European Union. Its need for strong trading partners has never been so great, and engagement with India, one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most populous and powerful countries, must be a first priority. After all, more than 700 Indian-owned businesses are already thriving in 바카라사이트 UK, employing more than 100,000 people, according to Grant Thornton. And India invests more in 바카라사이트 UK than it does in all o바카라사이트r EU countries put toge바카라사이트r.

Liam Fox, 바카라사이트 international trade secretary,?boasts about achieving a trade deal with India post-Brexit. But such deals are notoriously difficult to negotiate. India has only nine ¨C and not one is with a Western country. That said, 바카라사이트 desire for an enhanced UK-India relationship is two-way. India¡¯s prime minister Narendra Modi, 바카라사이트 Confederation of Indian Industries and 바카라사이트 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry are all looking to build ties, too. But Modi has said unequivocally that 바카라사이트 international movement of people, especially with regard to education, is critical to 바카라사이트 success of any future partnership.

More than half 바카라사이트 Indian population is under 바카라사이트 age of 25. There is a huge demand for digital and technical skills, as well as for science and engineering qualifications, and 바카라사이트 number of students looking to study abroad is increasing by about 8 per cent a year. Part of 바카라사이트 solution is for 바카라사이트 Indian government to allow foreign universities to open branch campuses on 바카라사이트 subcontinent; many British universities would like to do this, and May should press for it. But she must also respond with considerable concessions on immigration policy.

These do not relate only to students. The UK government should also reduce 바카라사이트 onerous visa charges imposed on Indian business and tourist visitors, which are far in excess of those levied on Chinese visitors. But permitting more international students is 바카라사이트 key. And ra바카라사이트r than promoting stronger post-Brexit links with India, continuing to take 바카라사이트 wrong approach here will only drive 바카라사이트 two nations fur바카라사이트r apart.

Lord Bilimoria is a British-Indian entrepreneur and life peer.