British universities have called on the government to bring back the post study work visa which would allow overseas students to stay in the country to work for up to two years after graduation. The scheme was scrapped in 2012 and strict post study work rules may have had a significant impact on prospective applicants from certain countries, including India.
Universities UK representing 136 universities, believe the introduction of a new post study work visa would give the UK a competitive edge over rival countries and help maintain the 450,000 international students who come to study in the UK every year.
President of Universities UK, Dame Janet Beer said:
“The ability to work in a skilled job for a limited period after graduation is, for many prospective international students, an important part of the overall package when deciding where to study. We are proposing a new graduate visa that would make the UK more attractive to students and would allow a wider range of employers, in all parts of the UK, to benefit from access to talented graduates from around the world.”
ComRes carried out a survey of British adults on the perceptions of international students and found that the majority of the British public would like to continue to see the same number or more international students in the UK. 75% of the British public believe that international students should be allowed to stay in the UK post-graduation for one year or more to gain work experience.