MW387 : The Vanishing Students from Outside the EU | Migration Watch UK

Summary 1. Much attention has been paid to the apparent failure of the government to reduce non-EU migration. However, it would seem that this is very largely due to the significant number of students who have remained in the UK, legally or otherwise. 2. Non-EU net migration has averaged 172,000 in the last ten years, […]

The Case of the Vanishing Non-EU Students | Migration Watch UK

Overseas students who stay on indefinitely in the UK are a massive part of non-EU migration. That is the conclusion of a report issued today by Migration Watch UK. The EU referendum campaign has highlighted the apparent failure of the government to reduce the current record level of net migration, about half of which comes […]

Press Comment on Students and the Net migration target | Migration Watch UK

Commenting on today’s reports that some cabinet ministers are pressing for international students to be taken out of the net migration target, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said: Everyone recognises the value of foreign students, cultural and economic, provided that they are genuine. The closure of 870 bogus colleges in recent […]

International Students and Post Study Work – Do employers need them?

Summary 1. In 2011, the last full year in which students could be granted a visa that would allow them to stay on and search for work at any skill level, nearly 50,000 did so. In the first full year (2013) that international students were required to get a graduate level job in order to […]

Response to the APPG Inquiry into Post Study Work Visas

1. In June 2014 the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration launched an inquiry into the impact of the closure of the Tier 1 (Post Study Work) visa in April 2012. Today they have released their findings in a report which calls on the government to introduce a new route that allows students to […]

International Students: Key Issues Explained – June 2014

1. Are international students of value to Britain? Yes, provided that the majority return at the end of their studies. Students pay fees and contribute to local economies through their living expenses. They also take their expertise when they leave which benefits their home country. Once home, they are more likely to do business with […]

International Students: The Case for Refining their Visa Regime

Summary 1. The Tier 4 student visa should be divided into three visas, one for each type of study: University, Further Education, and English Language. This would allow for a better understanding of the international student sector and for greater flexibility in entry requirements that properly reflects the different risks that exist in each part […]