Comment on the end of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme | Migration Watch UK

Welcoming the Government’s decision to bring to an end the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: ‘This decision has to be right. We now have a labour market of 500 million in the European Union, it simply makes no sense to bring in unskilled workers from outside.  This […]

Students and the Net Migration Target – Why Students Must Remain a Part of the Target

Summary 1. Students should not be removed from either the net migration statistics or the target of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands. Competitor countries include students in their net migration statistics and also publish students in separate administrative visa statistics, much like the Home Office. About 20% of students stay on legally. […]

Students and the Net Migration Target – Why Students Must Remain a Part of the Target

Summary 1. Students should not be removed from either the net migration statistics or the target of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands. Competitor countries include students in their net migration statistics and also publish students in separate administrative visa statistics, much like the Home Office. About 20% of students stay on legally. […]

Students and the net migration target | Migration Watch UK

On the eve of debates in both Houses of Parliament, Migration Watch UK has issued a paper underlining the need to continue including students in the calculation of net migration. Key points as follows: Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said “Our major competitors, the US and Australia, both include students in net migration. The […]

MW292 : Indian Students in the UK – Some essential context | Migration Watch UK

Introduction 1. Much has been made of the recent fall in international students to the UK from India. David Cameron has just returned from India after banging the drum for British Universities and encouraging genuine students to study here. This is entirely compatible with effective immigration controls. Indian student visa grants have fallen because recent […]

Yes Prime Minister – Those Indian Students were Bogus | Migration Watch UK

During the Prime Minister’s recent visit to India, the immigration lobby claimed that the recent 25% drop in student numbers from India is evidence that Britain has been sending a negative message to overseas students.  The reality is that the number of visas granted to Indian students almost doubled in the two years after the […]

Is the fall in net immigration due to a fall in student numbers? | Migration Watch UK

Immigration data The latest net migration statistics to March 2012 show a significant fall in net migration to 183,000 – a reduction of 59,000 from the figure for year ending March 2011.  According to the ONS News release “this reduction in immigration was largely due to fewer people arriving to study…”    In fact, the main […]

International Students: The Brightest and the Best?

Summary 1. Students are by far the largest category of migrant to the UK. Non-EU students have roughly trebled in the past ten years, especially following the introduction of the Points Based System in 2008. Genuine students are of economic value to the UK – they are an asset to both campus life and their […]