UK Proposes Deportation for Underperforming International Students

The United Kingdom has recently disclosed plans to deport international students who fail to meet certain academic standards. The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, has recommended a review of the graduate visa as part of a broader initiative to decrease net migration by 300,000 from its current record-high levels.

According to reports, the UK had granted two-year visas to over 98,000 international students, indicating a notable increase of 74 per cent year-on-year. Cleverly expressed concerns that the visa might be misused as a means to access low-skilled jobs or merely to extend stay in the country without any employment obligations.

Chairman of the United Kingdom Migration Advisory Committee, Professor Brian Bell, highlighted that there is currently no stipulation regarding the grades students must achieve in their university courses. He emphasized the need to review whether there should be specific academic requirements for the graduate visa, pondering whether a particular grade or level of achievement should be mandated.

Bell further mentioned that the committee is contemplating the idea of imposing restrictions that could limit foreign students to staying in the UK based on attending specific universities or completing designated courses. Additionally, certain jobs or activities might be subjected to constraints.

The call for changes to the graduate visa has also been echoed by former home secretary Suella Braverman and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick. There are growing concerns that the existing system may inadvertently encourage immigration and be susceptible to misuse.

In a recent article, Jenrick remarked, “The graduate route is ripe for comprehensive reform. Too many universities have fallen into the migration, rather than education business, and are marketing low grade, short courses as a backdoor to a life in the UK.”

Source: Politics Nigeria