LONDON: The post-study visa route dominated by Indian graduates is helping UK universities offset financial losses on the domestic front and expand the country's research landscape, a review commissioned by the British government said in its report on Tuesday. concluded.
The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was tasked by UK Home Secretary James Cleverly with the task of rapidly reviewing the relatively new Graduate Route visa, which allows international students to stay for up to two years in search of work and benefits after their degree. Allows. Work experience.
It found that Indian students lead this visa category, with 89,200 visas or 42 per cent of total grants between 2021 and 2023, with visas cited as a "huge decision point" for their choice of higher education destination.
Professor Brian Bell, Chair of the MAC, said: “Our review recommends that the graduate route should remain as it is and is not undermining the quality and integrity of the UK higher education system.,
“The Graduate Route is an important part of the offer we give to international students to come and study in the UK. The fees these students pay help universities offset the losses they incur in teaching research to British students. Without those students, many universities would need to scale back and conduct less research,” he said.
Bell's review highlights the "complex interactions" between immigration policy and higher education policy as it offers a series of recommendations to the government, including a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents whose "bad practices" misdirect U. Can sell from. Along with education and better data collection, it has been made necessary for universities to verify the course results for the international students they enroll for.“Graduate Route U is not undermining the integrity and quality of the higher education system. Under the existing funding model for higher education across the UK, the Graduate Route is helping universities expand the range of courses offered while compensating for domestic students and financial losses on research and supporting the Government's International Education Strategy. Is doing,” the review concludes.
“It has also contributed to diversifying the ranks of universities and domestic students who benefit from the financial contribution of international students. “However, potential poor practice by some agents recruiting international students risks undermining the integrity of higher education in the UK, as set out in the abuse section,” it notes.
Among other findings from the 'Rapid Review of the Graduate Route' report, the majority of people coming on the visa route completed postgraduate taught courses, and the increase in numbers largely comes from second-tier institutions, or UK universities outside the Russell Group. Is. , which accounts for 66 percent of all graduate route visas.The age profile of those on the graduate route has increased by about 15 percentage points to 54 per cent at the latest by more than two years. However, this is likely to be affected by recent action by the Home Office to enable international students to sponsor family dependents on their visas.
The MAC also found that Graduate Route visa holders are initially over-represented in low-paid work with outcomes for them including improvements in wages over time as they move onto skilled worker visas.
The review was launched to examine any evidence of any misuse of route demographics and trends for students who obtain a study visa and then enter the UK labor market, individuals during and after their time on the graduate route What do you do. With the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal, a priority ahead of the general election later this year, the Government said: “I want to ensure that people using this visa route contribute to the UK economy.” .
The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was tasked by UK Home Secretary James Cleverly with the task of rapidly reviewing the relatively new Graduate Route visa, which allows international students to stay for up to two years in search of work and benefits after their degree. Allows. Work experience.
It found that Indian students lead this visa category, with 89,200 visas or 42 per cent of total grants between 2021 and 2023, with visas cited as a "huge decision point" for their choice of higher education destination.
Professor Brian Bell, Chair of the MAC, said: “Our review recommends that the graduate route should remain as it is and is not undermining the quality and integrity of the UK higher education system.,
“The Graduate Route is an important part of the offer we give to international students to come and study in the UK. The fees these students pay help universities offset the losses they incur in teaching research to British students. Without those students, many universities would need to scale back and conduct less research,” he said.
Bell's review highlights the "complex interactions" between immigration policy and higher education policy as it offers a series of recommendations to the government, including a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents whose "bad practices" misdirect U. Can sell from. Along with education and better data collection, it has been made necessary for universities to verify the course results for the international students they enroll for.“Graduate Route U is not undermining the integrity and quality of the higher education system. Under the existing funding model for higher education across the UK, the Graduate Route is helping universities expand the range of courses offered while compensating for domestic students and financial losses on research and supporting the Government's International Education Strategy. Is doing,” the review concludes.
“It has also contributed to diversifying the ranks of universities and domestic students who benefit from the financial contribution of international students. “However, potential poor practice by some agents recruiting international students risks undermining the integrity of higher education in the UK, as set out in the abuse section,” it notes.
Among other findings from the 'Rapid Review of the Graduate Route' report, the majority of people coming on the visa route completed postgraduate taught courses, and the increase in numbers largely comes from second-tier institutions, or UK universities outside the Russell Group. Is. , which accounts for 66 percent of all graduate route visas.The age profile of those on the graduate route has increased by about 15 percentage points to 54 per cent at the latest by more than two years. However, this is likely to be affected by recent action by the Home Office to enable international students to sponsor family dependents on their visas.
The MAC also found that Graduate Route visa holders are initially over-represented in low-paid work with outcomes for them including improvements in wages over time as they move onto skilled worker visas.
The review was launched to examine any evidence of any misuse of route demographics and trends for students who obtain a study visa and then enter the UK labor market, individuals during and after their time on the graduate route What do you do. With the issue of immigration, both legal and illegal, a priority ahead of the general election later this year, the Government said: “I want to ensure that people using this visa route contribute to the UK economy.” .
