The rapid review of the United Kingdom's (UK) Graduate Route Visa, which was undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), has concluded. Today, May 14, the Graduate Route was given a green flag by the members of the committee. According to the officials, there was no apparent evidence against the claims that the Graduate Visa was being exploited by the students, reported The Guardian.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, and a patron of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK, which has been working towards the cause of the Indian students in the UK, told EdexLive that he was quite apprehensive about the adverse effects the review may have on international students with the initiation of the rapid review.
"I have been very frank with the British government in warning them of sending out negative messages about immigration and international students, and their review of the graduate route has created unnecessary fear," Lord Bilimoria stated.
Previously, the Chairperson of NISAU UK, Sanam Arora had highlighted the problems that may be amplified by the drop in the number of international students, which may include a lack of funding for the universities, which is accommodated by the fees charged by these international students, and a drop in the quality of research at universities due to a zero diversity.
According to The Guardian article, about 40% of Indians account for international students who use the Graduate Work visa to study and work in the UK.
EdexLive had the opportunity to interview Lord Karan Bilimoria as to why students should not be apprehensive about the rapid review and the galore of opportunities still open for the students willing to come to the UK.
Excerpts from our conversation:
Your view on the Graduate Route visa and how it benefits both Indian students as well as UK universities.
One of my proudest achievements in my 18 years as a member of the House of Lords was in 2007, spearheading with all-party support, the introduction of the two-year postgraduation (PG) work visa for international students.
This was brought in by the then-Labour government in 2008, taken away by the Conservative government in 2012 and reintroduced in 2021.
The graduate route is hugely beneficial to international students including those from India, as it helps international students work unrestricted for two years after they graduate from their UK university, enabling them to earn money to pay for their education and gain valuable work experience; continuing to build and strengthen their links with the United Kingdom.
The attraction of this route has been proven by the huge increase in international students to the UK since its re-introduction recently.
As the Co-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Students, we recommended that the government should re-introduce the graduate route and have a target for international students. The government has heard us on both counts and set a target of 6,00,000 students and this has been achieved well ahead of schedule.
Britain is open for the business of learning – the Graduate Visa route is still in place and UK universities such as Birmingham, where I’m proud to be the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group University, are welcoming Indian students.
In fact, we have welcomed 2,401 undergraduate/postgraduate (UG/PG) students from India over the last three years. We offer Indian students the benefit of a rich educational, social, and cultural experience – whether at our beautiful campus in Birmingham or our iconic new campus in Dubai.
Indian students occupy an important place in our global student community and the University of Birmingham’s commitment to India as a strategic partner.
Now that it has been under review, it is surely creating anxiety among aspiring students. Do you think this will have an adverse effect on trends itself?
I have been very frank with the British government in warning them of sending out negative messages about immigration and international students, and their review of the graduate route has created unnecessary fear.
It has been disappointing, as a result, to see a drop in international student applications for the coming academic year.
In reality, Indian students at the University of Birmingham have been recruited by employers including Atkins, Balfour Beatty, HSBC, Jaguar Land Rover, Kagool, McCann Health, PwC, Ramboll and Siemens into roles in the UK.
Indian students have also taken advantage of entrepreneurial and start-up support available through the UoB Elevate programme at The Exchange – our city centre engagement hub.
The University of Birmingham’s Careers Network supports international students with online courses, employer fairs, workshops, alumni events, bespoke internships, application support, job vacancy boards plus support and coaching for graduates.
One-third of employers attending Careers Fairs on campus this year had opportunities for international students. It is therefore wrong for the government to have created this fear.
UK universities understand that attracting bright minds from India enhances the quality of education, research, and innovation — contributing to the global advancement of knowledge.
The UK is a great place to study — offering academic excellence and cultural diversity, as well as a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.
Indian students benefit from a wide range of courses, cutting-edge research opportunities, and access to world-class faculty. Indian students occupy an important place in our global student community and the University of Birmingham’s commitment to India as a strategic partner.
What would you advise students?
I would advise students to continue to consider the UK as one of the top two destinations in the world for international students, along with the USA.
Review or not, what remains the strong points that will continue to attract Indian students to the UK
The UK has four out of the top 10 universities in the world and 17 out of the top 100 including the University of Birmingham. It is without doubt one of the best places in the world to study in every way and I can say that confidently with my own experience as a former international student.
Any message for the British government regarding the review of the visa?
I would emphatically urge the British government to continue with the two-year postgraduate work visa come what may, and also to eliminate the fear of rising immigration that has been created in the British public by the government continuing to include international students in their net migration figures.
Like our competitor countries, the USA, Canada and Australia, we should present our net migration figures excluding international students.