Government plans to limit the number of international students coming to the UK are being questioned after strong opposition from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. I understands.
Hunt is believed to be opposed to the Home Secretary’s plans to limit the number of dependents that international students can bring to the UK, arguing that it would destroy the UK economy.
Last year, Ms Braverman said she would try to crack down on international students after net migration hit a record high of 504,000 in the year to June.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that nearly 40% of the 704,000 non-EU nationals who arrived in the UK in June were on study visas.
I She understands that there are no plans for a “cap” on the number of international students per se, but Ms Braverman is working with No. 10 on draft measures to prevent some international students from entering UK universities.
This was stated by high-ranking Conservative MPs. I that the Home Office is currently at odds with the Treasury and the Department of Education (DfE) on the specific issue of student dependency, although Ms Braverman is also considering measures such as reducing the time international students spend in the UK after graduation.
International students can currently apply to bring their spouse or partner and children to the UK, with some students raising up to six dependent children.
Ms Braverman will consider measures such as allowing only PhD and other postgraduate students to bring family members to the UK.
This comes after Home Office data on immigration last year showed a “surprising discrepancy” between people of different nationalities coming to the UK to work and study, with students from some countries bringing half a dozen family members with them.
Chinese students made up the largest percentage of international students who came to the UK in the year before June, but brought the fewest dependents with them. A total of 114,837 Chinese students with 401 family members came to the UK to study last year.
In contrast, 34,031 Nigerian students came to the UK last year, representing 7% of the total, but brought 31,898 dependents with them.
However, I understands that Mr. Hunt is listening to the protests of the university sector and that Ms. Braverman has said that any limit on the number of international students would cause great harm to the industry.
Recent data from economic forecasting company Oxford Economics shows that international students contribute nearly £30bn a year to the UK economy as an export sector, while subsidizing British students studying high-value subjects such as science and engineering.
University sector leaders have warned that imposing measures to limit the number of international students in the UK would be an act of “economic self-harm”.
Sources close to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan also said so. I that they have canceled plans to limit the number of international students, highlighting the “soft power” they are putting the UK on the world stage.
They said Ms Keegan would highlight “the benefits that international students bring to the UK, both financially and in terms of the UK’s reputation abroad”.
This comes as senior Conservative MPs also said there is growing dissatisfaction in both the Treasury and Defense Departments that Ms. Braverman appears to have “taken on a big commitment” without consulting others. departments.
So said the former minister I that there was anger within the DfE at Ms Braverman’s “aggressive briefing” on plans to reduce the number of international students without interagency discussions.
“It’s not very smart to go out and find out about something before you have these intergovernmental talks,” they said.
“When it comes to international students, nothing can be done without the DfE and the Treasury saying nothing. It is clear that the Treasury has a lot of weight in this situation.”
Another senior Conservative MP said he was also disappointed that Ms Braverman announced plans to issue new blasphemy rules for schools without first consulting the DfE.
This is stated in the message of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Time Earlier this month, she had to develop new rules to crack down on profanity in schools after a West Yorkshire student received death threats for damaging a copy of the Quran.
“We don’t have blasphemy laws in the UK and we shouldn’t be joining forces to enforce them on this country,” she wrote. “I will be working with the Department of Education to issue new guidelines detailing this.”
However, the DfE later clarified that it had no plans to issue obscenity rules for schools and that Ms. Braverman’s column was the first department official to hear of the proposal.
The Home Office is currently taking the lead in issuing obscenity rules in schools, with minimal cooperation from the DfE. I it was said. The new policy regulates the protection of children from punishment for blasphemous acts in school.
Both Ms Braverman and the Home Office have been asked to comment on the situation.
Source: I News
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