UK trade association TIGA has announced its intention to support Graduate Visas and that the government should stick with the Graduate Visa route that’ll allow overseas students to work in the country for two years after completing their course.
This comes after the Migration Advisory Committee’s recent review highlighted the positive impact of international students in the UK and recommends maintaining the Graduate Visa route.
The review found that about one-third of foreign students use the Graduate Visa after finishing their studies, with around two-thirds of these visas issued to students from non-Russell Group universities.
Financial contributions of international students
TIGA also notes that students on the Graduate Visa probably pay more in taxes, National Insurance, and NHS fees over the course of two years than they do for their entire stay in the UK.
Furthermore, these students contribute to the financial stability of UK universities by offsetting losses brought about by domestic tuition fees that have remained fixed at £9,000 per year since 2012 despite inflation.
TIGA CEO Dr Richard Wilson OBE says, “The Graduate Visa route helps UK universities to compete in the market for overseas students. Key competitors including the USA, Australia and Canada, have similar programmes to the UK’s Graduate Visa.”
Wilson went on to say that “international students bring different ideas and perspectives, benefiting both domestic students and universities…we should retain the Graduate Visa route.”
