NUS RESPONDS TO HOME AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE STUDENT VISA REPORT
The National Union of Students (NUS) today welcomed the publication of the Home Affairs Select Committee’s report on the Government’s proposed changes to visas for students coming to the UK from outside the EU.
Amongst the key findings of the report with which NUS is in agreement are:
- Recognition that students should not be included in migration statistics
- The Government currently lacks robust data for its proposals
- Recognition of the value of the international student industry to the UK economy
- Current students have a legitimate expectation that Post-Study Work will be available to them.
- Government proposals should have been developed as a collaboration between Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Home Office and the Foreign office.
NUS said the report was thoughtful and nuanced but said that the extent to which the committee had to find ‘least worst’ options in the face of overwhelming Government desire to push the plans through demonstrated just how wrong-headed the current proposals were.
Christina Yan-Zhang, NUS International Students Officer, said:
“As the Home Affairs Select Committee join the chorus of students, lecturers, universities, economists and business-people in criticising the Government’s plans it is surely time for Theresa May to reconsider her determination to push through these damaging proposals.
“There can be no doubt that by placing excessive restrictions on international students wanting to come to the UK to study and by removing the huge incentive of the option to work in the UK for two years after their course finishes for those that do make it here the Government will decimate a highly profitable UK industry worth £40 billion.”