Yesterday’s (Tuesday 14 May) recommendation by the Migration Advisory Committee that the Graduate Visa route should be maintained, is both welcome and a critically important moment for the UK. The Committee’s report underscores the vital role international graduates play in the UK’s economy and highlights the risks associated with imposing further restriction.
This was widely regarded by both the higher education sector and many leading businesses, as a rushed, politicised review by the Government, the latest in a series of pre-election attempts to reduce all forms of immigration, also including on legal dependents, and increasingly harmful around international students – without reference to our , and irrespective of the value to Global Britain in one of our most competitive sectors, once seen by many to be ​‘the jewel in the crown’ of the UK economy: higher education.
These decisions can only be used as examples of economic and reputational self-harm. They do not benefit students, businesses, universities, our communities or the Treasury.
published last year shows that the intake of international students in the 2021/22 academic year contributed £41.9 billion to the UK economy. They also confirm that the economic benefits of hosting international students significantly outweigh the costs, and that, on average, international students make a £58 million net economic contribution per UK constituency, equivalent to approximately £560 per citizen. Reductions in figures like these as a result of fewer international students choosing to study here may seem abstract, but will be keenly felt by communities.
Removing the Graduate Visa route would do nothing to solve the problem of illegal immigration, but it would contribute significant economic and cultural harm. More than two thirds of international students return home following their studies – with a much greater understanding of British culture – and the remainder progress to UK postgraduate education and research or pursue careers here through the Highly Skilled or Graduate Route visas. New shows that the total net benefit to the UK Exchequer of hosting Graduate Route visa holders in the first full year of the scheme (2022/23) is estimated to be £70 million (or £1,240 per international graduate).
The UK’s research talent pipeline was disrupted by Brexit and, despite the recent renewal of the UK’s associate membership of Horizon Europe, visa rules and high costs still make the UK an unattractive for some. Recruiting fewer international students disrupts this pipeline at an earlier stage, harming the UK’s reputation even as the Government speaks of becoming a ​‘science superpower’ and leading the charge on innovation in artificial intelligence and life science.
UK students’ experiences would also be much less rich and rewarding in a more monocultural space. With over 160 nationalities and ethnicities represented in the University of East London community, our international students serve as global ambassadors, enriching our academic environment with diverse perspectives, knowledge, and cultural experiences.
International students support local and national economies, businesses, and jobs, playing an integral role in our economic fabric. The connections fostered through international students are invaluable, positioning the UK as a hub for international trade and diplomatic relations. For a government that states it is committed to upholding British culture and values, I wonder what better route there is to attaining that aim than in welcoming and educating internationally-mobile students in the UK. By embracing these students, we can continue to be a global leader in education, innovation, and economic growth.
The University of East London (UEL) is positioned in the top quartile of universities for financial resilience – delivered through the successful implementation of our strategy. Nevertheless, as a market-led, primarily charity-based sector, that is also one of the most highly regulated, there are limits to what the sector can do to weather the impact of the Government’s recent decisions. Universities are civic anchors, employing thousands of local people, and invariably offering major economic support to the area. UEL contributes over £800m annually to the economy, and employs over 3,500 people, many of whom are from the London Borough of Newham, which has some of the highest rates of child poverty in the UK.
I urge the Government to recognise the clear evidence and message of the MAC’s review and recommendation, bring an end to the negative narrative and rhetoric about international students, and restate the UK’s commitment to welcoming overseas talent as a key element of a prosperous and diverse country. What with the collective economic and socio-cultural benefits conferred by our status as a leader in international education, to do otherwise is an act of national self-harm and undermines one of the most successful sectors – and largest exporters – in the UK. British Higher Education really does represent Global Britain. Our actions now will determine whether we aim instead to turn Britain into a ​‘Little’ one.