UNITED KINGDOM

Vice-chancellors criticise proposed student visa curbs
Vice-chancellors in the United Kingdom fear billions of pounds could be lost because of new restrictions on international students, the result of internal government battles over immigration policy, writes Richard Adams for The Guardian.University leaders have been briefed that No 10 may side with the Home Office in supporting restrictions on international students applying to UK universities that could amount to “an act of economic self-harm”, despite strong opposition from ministers and officials from various departments.
Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK group, has told vice-chancellors that the government was “revisiting ways to reduce net migration”, with the future of the graduate student work visa in the spotlight. The visa allows international students to work for two years after graduation, and has been credited with a huge boost to student recruitment from India and Nigeria since 2021.
Full report on The Guardian site