International students who do not secure graduate jobs within two years of finishing university could face deportation.
The government’s upcoming immigration white paper is expected to set out proposals to force overseas students to leave the UK unless they get a graduate-level position in a bid to tackle the nation’s rising migrant numbers.
Although graduates can stay in the country without a job for up to two years after completing their studies, they are likely to face tighter rules as ministers aim to reduce net migration by limiting visa options.
According to The Times, careers where salaries plateau after several years are being targeted. Brian Bell, chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), previously suggested that a graduate salary level ranges between £36,000 and £40,000 annually, but government sources reportedly denied the bar would be set that high.
Overseas students
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Responding to the reports, University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady today (25 February) said: “This threat to further restrict international students’ ability to live and work in the UK when higher education is already on its knees, is bad for the sector, bad for the economy, and bad for our standing in the world.
“Higher education is still one of Britain’s last world-leading sectors and after years of Tory decline, Labour should be doing all it can to protect the sector, not engage in these acts of sabotage.
“We need bold leadership for the UK’s higher education sector to thrive in a globally competitive environment. This means abandoning the previous government’s hostile environment policies which threatened our ability to attract and retain international staff and students.”
Net migration reached an unprecedented 728,000 in the year leading up to June, primarily due to a rise in non-EU citizens. Ministers aim to reduce this figure to pre-pandemic levels, targeting between 200,000 and 300,000 annually.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our upcoming immigration white paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system, linking immigration, skills and visa systems to grow our domestic workforce, end reliance on overseas labour and boost economic growth. We are not getting into a running commentary on what will be contained in the white paper.”
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