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UK urged to relax rules on foreign students staying after education

File photo shows students at the University of London.

A report commissioned by the British government has urged authorities to relax rules on foreign students who want to stay in the country after finishing their education.

The Migration Advisory Committee said in its report published on Tuesday that the UK government should introduce changes to immigration rules to make it easier for students to access jobs after they graduate, highlighting the fact that those students contribute to the British economy.

The report, however, failed to recommend that the government should provide the students with post-study work visas, as it has been anticipated by many foreign students trying to stay in the UK after finishing their education.

The report, which came amid criticism about government’s net migration target which seeks to reduce the overall number of immigrants to the UK, said that it was impossible to recommend the government to exempt foreign students from the policy.

“Many of the respondents argued that students should be taken out of the government’s net migration target. None suggested a practical way that this might be done,” said the report, adding, “We cannot see a reliable method. Even if a method were to be found, it would be unlikely to make much difference to the migration statistics.”

The findings would be a seen as a vindication for May as she has consistently resisted pressure to soften her stance on immigration.

The report said Britain receives some 750,000 foreign students each year, many of them travelling to the country on short stays to learn English. Official figures also suggest that international students make up around a quarter of total immigration.

Many voted for Britain to leave the European Union two years ago to have the high rates of immigration into the country reduced. Brexit campaigners said at the time that immigration rates had jumped because of EU’s expansion to take in some eastern European countries.

However, academics and university leaders have warned that government plans to reduce the number of foreign students may leave British universities void of foreign talents as many such talented students would choose other countries to study.


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