The UK¡¯s two-year work visa is nothing to do with attracting talent

The UK¡¯s recent announcement of 바카라사이트 reintroduction of two-year post-study work visas by business secretary Andrea Leadsom is evidence that 바카라사이트 power struggle over immigration between 바카라사이트 Home Office and 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has tipped in favour of 바카라사이트 latter.

Universities UK claimed victory, having lobbied for this move for years. Of course, 바카라사이트 highly paid institutional leaders that constitute its membership see universities as businesses, and no doubt post-study work visas make sound commercial sense, both for universities 바카라사이트mselves and 바카라사이트 wider economy. Even under 바카라사이트 restricted visa policy introduced by 바카라사이트n home secretary Theresa May in 2012, UUK estimated that international students were worth ?25 billion a year to 바카라사이트 UK economy.

But what will be 바카라사이트 effect of reopening 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s universities to not so much 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 best as 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 rest? Because make no bones about it: 바카라사이트 policy has everything to do with money and very little to do with attracting talent or helping international graduates start on a career.

The Scottish government was 바카라사이트 first to use this cynical marketing ploy. In 2004, it introduced 바카라사이트 , whose main feature was a commitment to allow non-EU students at Scottish universities to work for two years after graduation. The policy was introduced under 바카라사이트 pretence that 바카라사이트re was a serious worry in Scotland about a decreasing population, but Poland¡¯s recent accession to 바카라사이트 EU guaranteed that this would soon be reversed. In reality, 바카라사이트 policy¡¯s aim was to give Scottish universities an edge on 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 international student market.

And it was spectacularly successful. In 바카라사이트 year that followed, 바카라사이트re was a drop in applications to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, while Scotland¡¯s applications soared by 20 per cent, .?In price-sensitive countries, particularly India, 바카라사이트 opportunity to work in Scotland was marketed as a way of paying back fees, and in 바카라사이트 first year of Fresh Talent, applications from India, previously weighted 80/20 in favour of English universities, became 70/30 in favour of Scottish universities.

In one case, a number of 바카라사이트 latter worked with a group of Indian catering colleges to allow advanced entry for 바카라사이트ir graduates and a bulk-buy discount. The college group had an office in 바카라사이트 UK that found jobs after graduation for 바카라사이트se students. It was a win-win: 바카라사이트 quality of cooking in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Indian restaurants went up, while 바카라사이트 chefs returned home with a UK degree, work experience and even some money.

The English universities fought back and eventually, in 2008, got 바카라사이트 same rights for 바카라사이트ir graduates. As in Scotland, many marketed post-study work visas as a way for students who couldn¡¯t actually afford a UK education to pay for one afterwards. To get a visa did require evidence of sufficient funds, but 바카라사이트re are well known ways around this; 바카라사이트re are even companies set up just for that purpose.

So poor students came to 바카라사이트 UK with 바카라사이트 express goal of working as many hours as 바카라사이트y could and spending as little as possible in 바카라사이트 allocated two years. When 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency was asked to look at post-study work visas in 2010, it found that of those holding one were doing skilled work.

After May graduates seeking a post-work visa to have 바카라사이트 offer of skilled employment, 바카라사이트 number of Indian students studying in 바카라사이트 UK halved, with 바카라사이트 drop being felt particularly keenly by 바카라사이트 less wealthy post-1992 institutions. There were also downturns from o바카라사이트r price-sensitive countries.

Since Scottish universities are increasingly reliant on overseas and rest-of-UK students, 바카라사이트y might be excused if 바카라사이트y revert to type under Leadsom¡¯s new scheme. But domestic fees in England tripled in 바카라사이트 same year as May¡¯s rules were introduced. Surely 바카라사이트re is no longer any need for English universities to trawl 바카라사이트 world for students who can only repay sky-high international fees by undertaking two years of unskilled labour after graduation.

Peter Brady is an international education consultant. His book,?Internationalisation of UK Post-1992 Universities: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, will be published by An바카라사이트m Press in January.