Have a question?
033 3772 0409

Legal News

Education expert warns UK immigration policy may deter overseas students (26 May 2015)

Date: 26/05/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Education expert warns UK immigration policy may deter overseas students

A leading education expert has said that the government must articulate its message on immigration more carefully, or risk losing overseas students to other countries.

Head of the Institute of International Education, Dr Allan Goodman, told the Times Educational Supplement that the UK already has a reputation for being “anti-foreign students”, with tight controls on issuing student visas.

Under the coalition government, David Cameron pledged to reduce net migration and targeted migrants from non-EU countries.

Dr Goodman said that universities in Britain “would lose out” unless the government makes more effort to make clear that the UK welcomes international students.

He was responding to the Prime Minister’s recent speech about tackling high levels of immigration to the UK, after latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that net migration in 2014 reached a record high.

The figures also showed that more than 600,000 new migrants arrived in the UK in 2014 – another record level – with 291,000 coming from outside the EU.

Dr Goodman said:

“Generally, Britain has a reputation that it is anti-foreign students – and there is a reputation that it is harder to get here as an international student than ever before.

“It’s the government’s prerogative to control numbers – but if universities want more international students, it will become increasingly hard to persuade them to come.”

Previous debate over international students coming to the UK drew a response from senior Tory Lord Heseltine, who said that overseas students should be excluded from migration figures because of the talent they bring to the UK – and the revenue.

British entrepreneur and inventor Sir James Dyson has also called for more engineering students to come to the UK – and for the UK to hand the “best and brightest” work visas at their graduation ceremonies, to make sure the UK retains the engineers it trains.

Home Secretary Theresa May has said, however, that overseas students must return to their home countries after graduation and re-apply to return to the UK to work.

Dr Goodman added:

“Universities and the government have to speak with one voice – the message from the government is currently unclear.
“It needs to outline who is welcome, whether there is a cap – and whether students count as immigrants.

“In the US, there is no ambiguity – students hear that message and the flow of international students into the US is continuing to grow.

“There is a danger the number in the UK will go down,” he said.

Dr Goodman also added that he disagrees with Mr Cameron’s pledge to toughen English language requirements for overseas students – arguing that this condition should be decided by individual universities, rather than outlined in government policy.

“If the government sets very high scores for English before a student can be granted a visa, then the universities will lose out on getting the very people they want to teach and reach,” Dr Goodman pointed out.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors
Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading firms of immigration solicitors and can advise on all immigration matters, including student visas and right to work in the UK.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading Legal Aid solicitor offering legal advice on:

• Asylum and asylum appeals
• British citizenship
• Entrepreneur visas
• Fast-track detention process
• Illegal entry to the UK
• Marriage in the UK
• Spouse visas
• Visa overstays.

For expert legal advice on UK immigration law, contact Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
Duncan Lewis is the trading name of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Limited. Registered Office is Spencer House, 29 Grove Hill Road, Harrow, HA1 3BN. Company Reg. No. 3718422. VAT Reg. No. 718729013. A list of the company's Directors is displayed at the registered offices address. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority . Offices all across London and in major cities in the UK. ©Duncan Lewis >>Legal Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy Policy. Duncan Lewis do not accept service by email.