UK PM Rishi Sunak Mulls Restrictions On Foreign Students’ Entry To Curb Migration
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his cabinet are considering introducing curbs on the entry of foreign students to the country, citing reasons such as enrollment in “low-quality” degrees and bringing dependents into the country, reports the BBC, quoting Downing Street.
The spokesperson for Rishi Sunak said that this idea was being considered after the official figures showed that net migration to the UK had climbed to a record half a million. However, the spokesperson did not define what the government meant by “low quality.”
The UK home secretary, Suella Braverman, earlier said that her concern regarding migration is due to the fact that students bring family members who “piggyback onto their student visa” and also said that universities are “propping up.”
Meanwhile, a government adviser on migration told the news agency that a decision like this would bankrupt universities. According to Time magazine, the plans to limit the number of foreign students will also include a restriction on students at the country’s top universities.
However, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt previously stated that immigration was necessary to boost growth, but that there needed to be a long-term plan in place to ensure that this move did not harm the country’s economy.
The education department can raise concerns over university funding if there is a cut in the number of high fee-paying international students.
The National Union of Students (NUS) said it would be “laughable” if the government made it tough for international students to study in the UK, given the country’s skills shortage.
It also accused the ministers of “starving” higher education of funds, while accusing foreign students of being exploited as “cash cows through astronomical fees and violent visa regimes.”
Sunak’s spokesman said that the UK’s universities are some of the best in the world and that the PM will support them while ensuring that migration levels come down.
“We’re considering all options to make sure the immigration system is delivering, and that includes looking at the issue of student dependents and low-quality degrees,” the spokesperson said.
