Universities in the United Kingdom on Friday, November 25, warned of potential job losses amid claims that foreign students could be banned from entering the country unless they have a place at a top university, local media reported. Meanwhile, according to data released by the UK's Immigration Statistics Report, there has been a 77% increase in the issue of visas to Indian students from 2019. This means that Indian students have now become the largest group of foreign students in the UK, surpassing Chinese students.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is said to be mulling the action, along with a blanket ban on overseas students bringing their families with them, as he tries to get a grip on immigration, Daily Mail reported. Sunak, on Thursday, vowed that immigration will fall and hinted at a crackdown on student visas after net numbers of students coming to the UK soared to a "breathtaking" record high of 5,04,000 this year.
As per a report by IANS, 10 Downing Street indicated last night that plans to bring overall numbers down could include putting up barriers for international students' loved ones and restricting admissions to top universities. However, Universities UK president Prof Steve West said that any move to restrict overseas student numbers would force some universities to close. Many rely on funding from fees far in excess of those paid by UK students, he added.
"That'd be a complete disaster across the country in towns and cities that rely on unis...to attract inward investment. Businesses are attracted to where universities are...we're talking in terms of tens of billions of pounds to the economy. I don't think we can afford to turn our backs on what is an incredibly successful export industry," he told LBC.
The move would be in line with proposals being explored by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who has previously complained about foreign students 'bringing in family members who can piggyback onto their student visa' and 'propping up, frankly, substandard courses in inadequate institutions', Daily Mail reported.
The estimates were compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which said the jump was driven by 'unique' factors, including visa schemes for Ukrainians and Hong Kong citizens and students arriving from outside the European Union.
