Student visa changes will damage the UK, says IoD

Politicians from all parties should stop pandering to the anti-immigration lobby, according to the Director-General of the IoD, Simon Walker:

“The Government’s moves to eject foreign students after graduation unless they earn at least £20,000 working for Home Office approved companies are a retrograde step which will continue to diminish both Britain’s higher education sector and its global influence.

“Most non-EU students come from emerging economies where the youth population is growing and education is highly prized. In business and geo-political terms it is particularly vital that future leaders from BRIC nations, the Middle East and other strong economies of the future have had a positive formative relationship with the UK. Other countries welcome such students: Britain makes it difficult and artificially expensive for them to enter, and now proposes to eject them ignominiously when their studies are finished.

“These are misdirected reforms which will produce no benefit for the UK. It is pure sophistry to manipulate immigration figures by shooing to the door highly-trained international students with MBAs to make way for unskilled migrants from the EU.”

Key points from the Home Office’s plans:

• Only those graduating from a university, and having a job offer from a reputable employer accredited by the UK Border Agency at a salary of £20,000 or more, will be able to continue living and working in the UK in order to benefit the British economy.

• The Government proposes instead up to 1,000 places for students working on world-class innovative ideas who want to stay and develop them but do not meet the requirements of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route.

• Young entrepreneurs or small company directors will get the chance to stay on in the UK after their studies only if they have £50,000 to invest in their business.

• There will be an increase in the amount of money that students and working migrants, as well as their dependents, must prove they have to support themselves financially during their time in the UK.

• Work placements will be limited to one-third of the course for international students who are studying below degree level.