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| Migration target must leave out students, MPs say | Migration target must leave out students, MPs say |
| (30 days later) | |
| In an unprecedented move, the chairs of five parliamentary committees of MPs and peers have written to David Cameron to demand that overseas students be removed from the official target to get net migration down to "tens of thousands". | In an unprecedented move, the chairs of five parliamentary committees of MPs and peers have written to David Cameron to demand that overseas students be removed from the official target to get net migration down to "tens of thousands". |
| The letter from the chairs of the Commons science, home affairs and public accounts select committees, and the Lords science and European Union committees, says that student visa policy needs to encourage international university students to study in Britain. | The letter from the chairs of the Commons science, home affairs and public accounts select committees, and the Lords science and European Union committees, says that student visa policy needs to encourage international university students to study in Britain. |
| "We believe this degree of consensus between committees of both houses is unprecedented," says the letter to Cameron signed by Adrian Bailey, Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Margaret Hodge, Professor Lord Krebs and Keith Vaz. | "We believe this degree of consensus between committees of both houses is unprecedented," says the letter to Cameron signed by Adrian Bailey, Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Margaret Hodge, Professor Lord Krebs and Keith Vaz. |
| The five committees have all produced recent reports endorsing the call to remove students from the net migration target, arguing that current policies create the perception that overseas students are not welcome in Britain and warning of potential damage to an export business worth £8bn a year. | The five committees have all produced recent reports endorsing the call to remove students from the net migration target, arguing that current policies create the perception that overseas students are not welcome in Britain and warning of potential damage to an export business worth £8bn a year. |
| Net migration to Britain has fallen from 250,000 a year to 183,000 over the past year, with a government squeeze on student visas fuelling the decline. The Conservatives have promised to get down below 100,000 by the time of the next election. | Net migration to Britain has fallen from 250,000 a year to 183,000 over the past year, with a government squeeze on student visas fuelling the decline. The Conservatives have promised to get down below 100,000 by the time of the next election. |
| The joint letter says that encouraging overseas students has the potential to support economic growth, support jobs in university towns and increase export earnings, which are projected to rise to £17bn a year by 2025. "International students who study in the UK also build relationships which last over time, laying the foundations for future business opportunities in emerging economies, and supporting our foreign policy objectives." | The joint letter says that encouraging overseas students has the potential to support economic growth, support jobs in university towns and increase export earnings, which are projected to rise to £17bn a year by 2025. "International students who study in the UK also build relationships which last over time, laying the foundations for future business opportunities in emerging economies, and supporting our foreign policy objectives." |
| The five committee chairs tell the prime minister that they are writing to him in advance of his visit next month to New Delhi because student applications to Britain from India have been particularly badly affected, falling by 23% in 2011/12. "We are therefore … [asking] you to reconcile the remaining tensions between visa policy and aspirations for growth by removing international university students from the net migration target." | The five committee chairs tell the prime minister that they are writing to him in advance of his visit next month to New Delhi because student applications to Britain from India have been particularly badly affected, falling by 23% in 2011/12. "We are therefore … [asking] you to reconcile the remaining tensions between visa policy and aspirations for growth by removing international university students from the net migration target." |
| The immigration minister, Mark Harper, yesterday pointed to new figures showing "big increases" so far in university student applications from India and China this year as evidence that "Britain remains open to the brightest and the best international students". Harper added that the figures showed that, despite stories to the contrary, students continue to want to come to the UK to study at universities. | The immigration minister, Mark Harper, yesterday pointed to new figures showing "big increases" so far in university student applications from India and China this year as evidence that "Britain remains open to the brightest and the best international students". Harper added that the figures showed that, despite stories to the contrary, students continue to want to come to the UK to study at universities. |
| The Ucas (university admissions) figures cover applications for places on full-time undergraduate university courses received by this January for the next academic year. They show that the comparable numbers from China have risen from 6,284 in 2012 to 6,903 in 2013 and the figures for India have also risen from 2,188 to 2,610. | The Ucas (university admissions) figures cover applications for places on full-time undergraduate university courses received by this January for the next academic year. They show that the comparable numbers from China have risen from 6,284 in 2012 to 6,903 in 2013 and the figures for India have also risen from 2,188 to 2,610. |
| But these figures represent fewer than 10% of the total number of students who came to study in Britain last year. In total, 78,715 Chinese students came to Britain in 2012 and 29,900 from India, the majority of whom were postgraduates. | But these figures represent fewer than 10% of the total number of students who came to study in Britain last year. In total, 78,715 Chinese students came to Britain in 2012 and 29,900 from India, the majority of whom were postgraduates. |
| Nicola Dandridge of Universities UK said: "Ucas application figures only give us part of the picture when it comes to international students. They relate mainly to full-time undergraduate applications and many international applicants will also apply directly to universities, without using the Ucas system." | Nicola Dandridge of Universities UK said: "Ucas application figures only give us part of the picture when it comes to international students. They relate mainly to full-time undergraduate applications and many international applicants will also apply directly to universities, without using the Ucas system." |
| "Approximately 55 per cent of international students (non-EU) in the UK study at postgraduate level and, as we know, much of the recent concern about the impact of student visa policy at UK universities has centred on postgraduate taught [e.g. masters] courses." | "Approximately 55 per cent of international students (non-EU) in the UK study at postgraduate level and, as we know, much of the recent concern about the impact of student visa policy at UK universities has centred on postgraduate taught [e.g. masters] courses." |
| Dandridge said that the student visa system should help, not hinder, efforts to attract international students to Britain. | Dandridge said that the student visa system should help, not hinder, efforts to attract international students to Britain. |
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