As the UK government continues to tighten visa requirements for international students and graduates as part of its tough immigration policy, global companies and universities have voiced their opposition.
The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB), a UK industry-academic cooperation organization, stated in a letter sent to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the 16th (local time), "Our decision to invest in the UK is because of the talent, skills, and innovative ideas found here," and urged, "Do not change visa policies without detailed and comprehensive review."
The letter was signed by executives from global companies including Siemens, Anglo American, EDF Energy, Rio Tinto, Thales, and Neptune Energy. They pointed out, "For the government to foster a resilient economy, it must create an environment where the university sector can succeed," adding, "There is a clear warning sign that this is at risk."
They further warned that government policies are widening the funding gap for research and sharply reducing support for international students, stating, "These financial pressures will weaken one of the UK's greatest strategic strengths and will have widespread impacts on businesses as well as the broader economy and society."
Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group?which includes 24 leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge?also wrote in a letter to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) that "If further restrictions on international students are introduced, the university sector will become seriously unstable," warning that "this will lead to reduced local community spending, fewer opportunities for UK students, and a decline in UK research."
The UK government had previously restricted family accompaniment for master's students and announced in March that it would review the graduate visa, which allows up to three years of stay after university graduation, citing concerns that it could be exploited as an immigration route.
Already, financial institutions such as KPMG, Deloitte, and HSBC have canceled hiring of foreign graduates from UK universities due to visa issues. The number of international students is also confirmed to be declining. According to Enroly, an international student registration management platform, deposits for admission applications to 24 UK universities as of this month have decreased by 57% compared to last year. Jeffrey Williams, CEO of Enroly, explained, "Deposits are a key indicator of university enrollment," adding, "A sharp decline signals that the UK's attractiveness as a study destination has significantly diminished."
Meanwhile, the MAC, which was commissioned by the Home Office to investigate the validity of the graduate visa, reported on the 14th that there is no overall evidence that the graduate visa is being misused for immigration purposes and effectively recommended that the government maintain it.
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