Universities urge government not to ban student visas, after report finds no evidence of abuse

UK universities have welcomed a report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) which concluded that the current graduate visa route should remain in place, amid calls for it to be scrapped.

The report […] found the scheme […] was “not undermining the quality and integrity of the UK’s higher education system.”

The report, published 14 May, found the scheme posed low risks of abuse, and was “not undermining the quality and integrity of the UK’s higher education system.”

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, called for a review into the system after government ministers claimed that the visa route was being exploited by graduates to claim asylum and enter the UK jobs market.

The scheme allows international graduates to stay in the UK for up to three years after finishing their degree, without having to gain employment.

In 2023, 114,000 visas were handed out to international graduates through the scheme, with a further 30,000 issued for their dependents.

The MAC has now concluded in their report that the visa scheme helped to attract international students to the UK and should therefore remain to help universities “cover the losses they make in teaching British students and doing research.”

The decision comes amid warnings that abolishing the scheme would lead to financial disaster for the education sector. Recent data revealed international students contribute £41.9bn to the UK economy.

Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK, welcomed the report, saying that: “The MAC’s recommendation that the graduate route should remain on its current terms is extremely important and welcome.”

Stern, along with the Chief Executives of the Russell Group, and Independent Higher Education, has called upon the government to fully take on board the advice of the report, and guarantee the future of the visa scheme.

Tory MP, Neil O’Brien, claimed that the conclusions allow for “the expansion of universities for their own sake.”

However, some senior Conservative figures have continued to urge Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to ignore the MAC’s conclusion. Former Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, branded the report a “whitewash”, whilst senior Tory MP, Neil O’Brien, claimed that the conclusions allow for “the expansion of universities for their own sake.”

Changes have already been made to the scheme since it was introduced in 2021, with higher salary thresholds and restrictions on family members being imposed on graduates.

Responding to the report, the Government said that they were “committed to attracting
the best and brightest to study at our world-class universities, whilst preventing abuse of our immigration system.”

“We are considering the review’s findings very closely, and we will respond fully in due course.”