Students without graduate jobs could be forced out of the UK

Deportation could be imposed on international students who fail to secure a graduate job within two years after completing university.

In an effort to combat the rising number of migrants in the UK, the government is expected to release a white paper on immigration that will include proposals forcing overseas students to leave if they do not get a position at graduate level.

Graduates can stay in the United States for two years without finding a job after they complete their studies. However, ministers are likely to tighten rules to limit net migration.

The Times reports that careers with salaries that plateau after a few years are targeted. Brian Bell, the chairman of the Migration Advisory Council (MAC), suggested previously that a graduate’s salary ranges from PS36,000 to PS40,000 per year. However, government sources denied that the bar would be raised that high.

Jo Grady, the general secretary of the University and College Union, responded to the reports today (25th February). She said that the threat to further restrict the ability of international students to live and work within the UK, when higher education in the UK is already at its lowest point, was bad for the sector and the economy. It also hurt our reputation in the world.

After years of Tory decline Labour should do all they can to protect this sector and not commit these acts of sabotage.

We need bold leadership to ensure that the UK’s Higher Education sector thrives in a global competitive environment. It means abandoning hostile environment policies of the previous government, which threatened our ability attract and retain international students and staff.

In the year that led up to June, net migration was at an all-time high of 728,000. This is primarily because there has been a significant increase in non EU citizens. The ministers want to bring this number back to the pre-pandemic level, aiming for between 200,000 to 300,000 people per year.

Home Office spokesperson stated: “Our immigration white paper, which will be released soon, will provide a comprehensive plan for restoring order to our immigration system. It will link immigration, skills, and visa systems in an effort to increase our domestic workforce and reduce our reliance on foreign labour, as well as boost economic growth. We will not be making a commentary on the contents of the white paper.

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