House of Lords: remove International Students from the headline Immigration Figures

Following on from the third reading of the Immigration Bill which took place on 6 May 2014, Baroness Williams of Crosby posed an important question during the House of Lords debate today. Baroness Williams of Crosby asked the House whether the Government had plans to remove international students from the headline immigration figures. As the elections near, immigration has definitely been at the center of debate. As we reported earlier this year, Indian born British entrepreneur Lord Bilimoria was critical of the government’s immigration cap and believed that students should be removed from this. 

Lords Warn Government: Message to International Students ‘Must be Clear’

During the debate it was suggested that net migration statistics can be broken down in categories; students can be clearly distinguished from these statistics. Therefore, if the government wanted to, they could remove students from net migration statistics. Lord Holmes of Richmond stated that “the message must be clear to international students: we want you and we welcome you.” However, Lord Holmes asked for reassurance that the Government would do everything  to ensure that, when it comes to global higher education, the brightest and the best students would choose Britain.

In response the Lords felt this was indeed the Government’s policy and they hoped that it would be possible to persuade Universities and UK to take this opportunity to improve their position as a second provider of higher education to the world student population.

Lord Bragg: Government is Excluding Students from China & India

Lord Bragg reiterated Lord Bilimoria’s sentiments that the UK’s immigration rules for students are causing Indian students to turn away from the UK. He asked whether the current government fully understood the damage being done by the UK’s student immigration policy:

“I speak as chancellor of the University of Leeds. I refer not only to the damage in fees, which is well over £1 million or £1.5 million—a lot to any university—but to the fact that we are excluding more than 23% of people from China and India. Does the Minister understand the value of those contacts, their value to our future negotiations, prosperity and culture and the lessening of value of our academic status in the world by this policy?”

Lord Taylor of Holbeach added to the debate:

“The point of my argument is that students come here not just for six months or so but to pursue a course of study and, following that course of study, they go on to do other things.”

Successful UK Tier 4 Student Visa Applications & Appeals

If you are a student wishing to come to the UK to study, our team of experienced and professionally qualified immigration solicitors and barristers will be able to guide you through the process of making a student visa application step by step and limit the possibility of failure by complying with the strict letter of law.

We also undertake a great deal of appeal work before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal and have a successful track record of successful results for our clients. We have the experience and the knowledge required to take your case forward successfully. If you have had a student visa refused, contact us to discuss your case so that we can provide you with a case assessment.

Contact us so that we can review your case and provide you with an assessment.

Call Now Button search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close