Public Support for UK Student Visas

A poll carried out on behalf of Universities UK and think tank British Future suggests the British public do not support the present government’s attempts to limit the number of UK student visas issued in future. This follows last month’s Prime Ministerial statement of intention to reduce net migration to the UK and to set absolute numerical limits on the number of UK student Visas issued. International students are the largest single group of migrants from non EEA states to be counted in the Governments reduction figure.
The study reports surprise expressed by poll participants when they are told that students are counted as immigrants for this purpose. 59% of participants thought the government should not reduce the number of international students. Around 75% of participants felt international students should be allowed to stay on an work in the UK after their studies.
It seems there is a gulf between the support shown for general populist anti-immigration policies as described in dumbed-down form in an attempt to foster public support in the last months before the next general election, and the opinion of the British Public when they are properly informed about these policies. The truth is that international student are a large and easy target- reducing their numbers is the quickest means to achieve the government’s self-imposed immigration targets.
But this approach comes at a cost to the nation- international students contribute significantly in financial terms to the UK; And what is the benefit, exactly? The politicians showcase policies about foreign criminals, immigrants seeking to take advantage of benefits or the NHS or people coming to work illegally and and the end of the trick they hope to appear (by sleight of hand) to have reduced immigration numbers (concealing the fact that its mostly a different kind of immigrant they’ve counted).
Educational providers, who as registered sponsors fulfil part of the pre-visa suitability checking process, will lose their highly trusted status if 10% or more of their Certificate of Acceptance (CAS) students fail to get a UK student visa.