According to a report by The Guardian on May 12, 2024, China Education Online’s International Education Channel asserts that the UK government is once again caught in a paradox of trying to reduce net immigration by restricting study visas.
1. Investigation of the Graduate Route Visa Policy
In March 2024, the UK government ordered the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review and assess the Graduate Route Visa policy, which has been in effect since 2019. This policy aims to attract international students to the UK by allowing them to stay for two or three years after graduation (international graduates with a UK bachelor’s or master’s degree are granted a 2-year visa, and those with a doctoral degree receive a 3-year visa).
The review and assessment are to determine whether international students’ intention to stay in the UK is related to immigration.
2. The Paradox in UK Immigration Policy
China Education Online’s International Education Channel observes that to control net immigration, the governments of the UK, Australia, and Canada consider international students as part of their immigration statistics. To limit a large influx of immigrants, they often reduce the number of study visas in the short term.
Therefore, many UK university chancellors believe that after reviewing and assessing the Graduate Route Visa policy, the issuance of study visas may be restricted.
In reality, a significant portion of international students, such as Chinese students in the UK, should be regarded as temporary residents with a weak inclination towards immigration.
UK education officials also argue that the government should distinguish international students from the immigrants they aim to restrict.
3. Restricting Study Visas is a Self-Inflicted Wound
The Russell Group, a consortium of top research universities in the UK, warns that a reduction in international student numbers will harm the economy and the UK’s reputation.
UK officials are concerned that many higher education institutions, which heavily rely on tuition fees from international students, will face financial difficulties and potentially close down due to visa restrictions.