UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to announce new measures aimed at curbing the number of international students coming to the UK by targeting recruitment agents, who provide misleading information and potentially modifying the Graduate Route visa scheme. This move is part of Sunak’s broader strategy to address immigration concerns ahead of the UK’s January 2025 general election.
Crackdown on Recruitment Agents
Sunak’s plan includes a crackdown on educational recruiters, especially those marketing graduate visa schemes overseas, including in Bharat. This initiative aims to prevent misleading practices by recruitment agents that contribute to the influx of international students, thereby controlling immigration numbers more effectively. The announcement is expected to coincide with the release of quarterly migration data from the Home Office and the Office for National Statistics.
Potential Changes to the Graduate Route Visa
The Graduate Route visa, introduced in July 2021, allows international students to remain in the UK for up to two years (three years for PhD graduates) after completing their studies. This scheme has been particularly popular among Indian students, who constitute over 40 per cent of the visa recipients. However, Sunak is considering restricting this visa to only the “best and the brightest” candidates, although these plans have not yet been formally discussed by ministers.
Impact on International Students and UK Universities
A report by the British Government indicates that the Graduate Route visa has significantly benefited UK universities by helping them recover from financial losses and expand research opportunities. The report titled – Graduate Route: Rapid Review – found no significant evidence of abuse of the scheme. However, it raised concerns about recruitment agents in certain markets providing misleading information to prospective students.
The potential tightening of the Graduate Route visa has caused unease among the international student community, with some applications to UK universities reportedly declining due to the uncertainty surrounding the visa programme. Despite the concerns, the Graduate Route visa remains a crucial factor for many international students, with the top five nationalities accounting for nearly 75 per cent of all visas granted under this scheme.
In 2023, approximately 114,000 Graduate visas were granted to main applicants, with an additional 30,000 granted to dependants. Indian nationals, in particular, made up a significant proportion of these visas, reflecting their substantial presence in the UK’s higher education sector.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposed measures to curb international student numbers and tighten the Graduate Route visa aim to address immigration issues while ensuring that only highly qualified candidates benefit from the post-study work opportunities in the UK. This move reflects the government’s commitment to regulating immigration more strictly as part of its broader electoral strategy. The upcoming announcements will be closely watched by stakeholders in the education sector and the international student community.
