Tory led UK government will force foreign students to leave Britain once their courses end... eya!
UK Daily Mail reports
Foreign
students are to be banned from working in Britain under a fresh
crackdown on immigration ordered by Home Secretary Theresa May.
When courses finish they will have to leave the country before reapplying to return for a job. Ministers
say the new rules, which will apply to all those from outside the
European Union, will stop colleges being used as a 'back door to a
British work visa'.
Official
figures show that 121,000 non-EU students entered the UK in the 12
months to June last year, but only 51,000 left – a net influx of 70,000.
The
government estimates that the number of foreign students coming to the
UK will rise by more than 6 per cent a year up to 2020. Home Secretary
Theresa May has taken action against 870 bogus colleges, banning them
from taking foreign students.
But the Conservatives have vowed to go further, without the Lib Dems in power to force the rules to be watered down.
They want to stop student visas being used as an easy way to enter the UK before getting a job and claiming benefits.
Under
the new rules, non-EU students will be denied the right to work while
in the UK and will not be able to apply for a visa extension when their
course finishes.
Students will have to leave the country before applying to return under a work visa.
The length of stay is also expected to be cut to two years when the plans are unveiled this week.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said it was 'part of our plan to control immigration for the benefit of Britain'.
'Immigration offenders want to sell illegal access to the UK jobs market and there are plenty of people willing to buy.
'Hard-working
taxpayers who are helping to pay for publicly funded colleges expect
them to be providing topclass education, not a back door to a British
work visa.'
Business
Secretary Sajid Javid signalled on Friday that the govermment would
stop the education system being abused by immigrants.
He
said: 'What we need to make sure – and we do have this – is that our
immigration system allows those from abroad that want to come to Britain
to study in our world-class universities, our fantastic colleges to
come here,' he told the Today programme.
'But
we've also got to have a system that doesn't allow any abuse when
people are using the right to study as a way to achieve settlement in
Britain.
'So
we've got to break the link and make sure it's focused on people who
want to study and then, once they've had their studies and completed
that, then they leave.'
But
universities have warned that any clampdown could damage the sector and
business leaders are also wary of the move, warning it could rob Britain
of vital skills.
Seamus
Nevin, head of employment and skills at the Institute of Directors,
said: 'The Business Secretary's proposals to eject foreign students
after graduation are misguided and would damage the British education
system, our economy and global influence.
'Britain
already makes it difficult and artificially expensive for international
students to enter and stay, and now these proposals would eject them
ignominiously when their studies are finished.
'Restricting talented workers from staying on in the UK would damage business and lead to a loss of important skills.
'Shutting
the door to highly-trained international graduates at a time when our
economy needs them most would be hugely damaging for UK businesses.
'In
the interests our education sector, our businesses, and our
international standing, the Business Secretary should reconsider this
proposal.'
