The UK government has announced that it will keep the graduate visa route, which enables international students to work or search for jobs for two years following their graduation (or three years if they are a PhD holder). The home office will instead concentrate on regulating agents recruiting international students and introduce stringent compliance measures for institutions recruiting them.
Last Thursday, it was declared that this would be accepted by the findings of the Migration Advisory Committee(MAC), published last week, that recommended against abolition of the graduate track.
According to them, rogue agents involved in recruitment of overseas students will have their business model “smashed” and universities not meeting toughened compliance standards may face loss of sponsor licence.
These consist of pupils who were given visas to study at universities that failed to meet visa requirements; pupils without visas registered at schools; or learners who dropped out before completing their courses.
Higher financial maintenance requirements are being introduced while English language assessments are under review. There is also a restriction on remote delivery of courses. According to an analysis conducted among large numbers ending up on low salaries, this route will continue to be reviewed because “it is not attracting the highest earners”.
However, this was confirmed by a spokesperson from Home Office – Govt has accepted all MAC’s recommendations and added further steps to stop frauds as well as guaranteeing only real students enter the visa system and holding higher education responsible for how they recruit learners.”
During year ending March 2024, there were 116,455 Indians granted student visas.
National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK chair Sanam Arora said: “We are delighted and very relieved that the UK govt has taken the right decision. This is critical for Indian students. We are very pleased that the focus will instead be on regulating agents.”
