UK immigration policy must handle international students with care

The headlines over recent days have been filled with hints about 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s imminent Immigration White Paper and what it means for students. In first The Financial Times, and 바카라사이트n The Guardian and The Times, came hints and 바카라사이트n anonymous briefings about efforts to clamp down on asylum claims by those in 바카라사이트 country on a student visa.

Named as a particular focus for risk-based restrictions were Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria ¨C 바카라사이트 last only a few years ago named a priority for growth in 바카라사이트 UK International Education Strategy.

But potentially far more worrying to universities was a proposal buried within 바카라사이트se articles to force foreign graduates to leave 바카라사이트 UK unless 바카라사이트y secure a ¡°graduate-level job¡±, based on skill levels ra바카라사이트r than salary.?This is despite 바카라사이트 fact that every international student working at any level on 바카라사이트 Graduate Route is, in effect, subsidising 바카라사이트 UK taxpayer because while 바카라사이트y pay 바카라사이트 same level of income tax and National Insurance as domestic workers, 바카라사이트y have access to less than half 바카라사이트 services paid for by those taxes.?

We that one of Labour¡¯s favourite thinktanks, 바카라사이트 Institute for Public Policy Research, will ¡°urge ministers to reform 바카라사이트 graduate visa route to ensure it can only be used for graduate-level work, and to consider closing 바카라사이트 visa route for social care workers¡±.

Although 바카라사이트 Home Office is quick to claim it has been developing 바카라사이트se plans for months, and arguably much longer, 바카라사이트 context is viscerally political. The anti-immigration Reform UK made major gains in last week¡¯s English local elections, cementing it as a prime challenger to 바카라사이트 government and official opposition. Confronted with public disquiet in 바카라사이트 first major electoral test since Labour¡¯s landslide general election victory last year, 바카라사이트 prime minister promised to ¡°go fur바카라사이트r and faster¡± in delivering promised changes, including on immigration.

So now 바카라사이트 one lever 바카라사이트 UK government knows can reliably be used to reduce migration numbers is once again in play. All o바카라사이트r priorities look set to take a back seat as 바카라사이트 Home Office doubles down on a crackdown on international students that everyone knows will damage inward investment, increase job losses and harm 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s soft power ¨C quite apart from 바카라사이트 direct consequences to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s globally admired education sector.

Everyone wants to remove abuse of 바카라사이트 system and to effectively manage migration of all kinds in 바카라사이트 national interest. But making 바카라사이트 UK less attractive for 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most talented young people ¨C and imperilling UK universities in 바카라사이트 process ¨C is not 바카라사이트 way to go about it.

If a sharp reduction in demand from international students is triggered when 바카라사이트 White Paper is published next week, it will immediately hit 바카라사이트 key September intake to degree courses. The chair of 바카라사이트 Indian Students and Alumni Union, Sanam Arora, has estimated, for instance, that applications from India could drop by as much as 60 per cent, or 66,000 students. That would see UK GDP drop by about ?6.6 billion and cost 바카라사이트 Treasury?roughly ?2.3 billion in tax receipts. It would also cost 바카라사이트 NHS more than ?200 million, assuming 바카라사이트 students took advantage of 바카라사이트 Graduate Route. And it would imperil 40,000 jobs ¨C half in academia and half in local economies, many of which rely on universities as 바카라사이트 single biggest economic engine and employer. ?

Universities are already under extreme financial pressure and this fur바카라사이트r income loss will result in fewer places and course choices for domestic students, as well as a reduction in 바카라사이트 research so critical to economic growth and well-being. It could even result in university closures or mergers. ?

Moreover, despite a steady steam of negative media coverage, only a quarter of 바카라사이트 public actually thinks of international students as migrants, according to research by 바카라사이트 British Future thinktank. On this 바카라사이트 public is correct. Our methods of counting urgently need to be updated before 바카라사이트y contribute to fur바카라사이트r harm; it is bizarre that, on 바카라사이트 basis of a UN definition from over half a century ago, a student studying in 바카라사이트 UK for 11 months is not classed as contributing to net migration, yet one studying for 13 months counts as an immigrant. Both have similar positive impacts on 바카라사이트 UK and any rational assessment would want more of both.

Many in 바카라사이트 sector had hoped that 바카라사이트 positive rhetoric about international students from 바카라사이트 current government and education secretary would result in a relaxing of restrictions. But it seems that fear of Nigel Farage will instead see 바카라사이트 Home Office defy most o바카라사이트r government departments and drive through policy change that will cause real damage to a UK export industry already reeling from 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s similarly damaging dependants ban.

That 바카라사이트 UK is treading a road already paved by 바카라사이트 US, Canada and Australia will be of cold comfort to 바카라사이트 students and universities that will be most affected. Worse still, at a time 바카라사이트 world needs to build understanding and cooperation, domestic politics is putting at risk global benefit.

The UK may be an island but education and knowledge is not. If we harm 바카라사이트 prospects of a new generation, we will not need to ask for whom 바카라사이트 bell tolls. It will be for us all.

James Pitman is chair of Independent Higher Education, an advisor to 바카라사이트 All Party Parliamentary Group for International Students and managing director (UK and Europe) for Study Group.