New Wave of Student Visa Cuts: Is It a No-Win Situation?

In diplomacy, a “no-win” situation happens when there is no beneficial outcome from negotiations on either side. But it does not mean that there would not be any alternative option in front of negotiators to tackle problems when they are faced with a stalemate.
   A few days ago The New York Times published a news story about Nabil Sebti, a 25-year-old Moroccan graduate of HEC Paris that had to return to his home country due to the new immigration rules for North African students. Mr. Sebti, who was studying in Paris on student visa, set up two businesses while he was a student. “Collectif du 31 Mai”, his Facebook page against the new regulation in France has got around 9000 members since early October 2011.
   Although some  North African students in France openly criticized the rights that the French government gives to its non-permanent residences, it is clear that many of these students are not feeling welcomed in France. Some of them say it is hard to lose everything that they have built up during their studies.    

The UK government wants to meet the target of reducing annual net migration to below 100,000 a year. Therefore, in the education sector, government has decided to execute tighter rules in terms of issuing student visas. For example, the eligibility for staying after graduation will involve having an offer from sponsoring employers with a salary of at least £20,000. Moreover, there will be a three to five year time limit on students’ visas, as well as not being allowed to work more than 10 hours each week during the course time. Additionally, non-EU students must provide more secure proof that they have sufficient funds to support themselves.
   But are these new immigration rules on non-EU students, who  inject £2.58 million (10% income of higher education institutions in the UK, 2009/10) into  Britain’s economy, going to make them feel unwelcomed, in the same way North African students are being made to feel in France? 

On November 2, the Home Office announced that new rules on student visas made more than 450 colleges ineligible as education providers for overseas students.  The question that many colleges ask is  why the education sector should be counted in the net migration figures. It clearly creates a danger that Britain loses its share on international market for higher and further education. Also, spilling high-skilled people to other countries does not seem to be a thoughtful strategy.

But let’s review the main topics regarding these new immigration rules. Figures show that 40% of undergraduate students in UK universities have enrolled via a pre-university pathway course. This subject has seriously drawn the attention of the Home Office in their new immigration policy. A non-EU student who has done an international foundation course and has been enrolled at KCL stated: ”I think the new policy is good. I have done a foundation course but most of the good universities in the UK such as UCL don’t evaluate it.  If the UK universities do not trust each other on this matter, how can I claim that I have got an “international foundation” degree in my field?! I wish I had done A-levels here.” It is clear that overseas students need an organization that can provide clearer information regarding the education system in the UK and give them some advice as well.
   Another issue is related to permission to work. The new tighter rules are going to limit working hours during the term times from 25 hours to 10 hours a week. A medical student at UCL who has got a part-time job in a Nando’s restaurant said: “I can only earn £700 of my expenses each month by working here. I should pay £25,000 in fees this year as well as my accommodation rate, transportation, etc. The new rule doesn’t sound very satisfactory to me.” Some non-EU students claims that while they are paying a significant higher tuition fee, there is no banking firm or international student loan company that can offer a supportive option to their education as other European students get.  

 The new rules also removed the available option allowing graduates to stay and work in Britain for 2 years. This year the UK government is going to limit the total number of job offers by recruitment companies for skilled workers from outside of the Eurozone. 
   However, this is not the whole story. It’s absolutely right for the government to control the net immigration and slow down the current abuse of student visas. Therefore, by getting clear statistics regarding people who arrive in the UK, they would be able to come up with an immigration strategy that will definitely work; as the PM David Cameron says: “what matters most is not who comes into the country, but who stays.”

On November 2, Universities UK said that the UK cannot afford to make costly mistakes such as those made previously in the USA and Australia. Ill-thought out cuts in those countries seriously damaged their universities’ international competitiveness.
   Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: “International students are not economic migrants. They come to the UK to study, and then they leave. The vast majority of international students return home once their studies are completed, and those that do not, need to reapply for a separate visa.”  

As the result, we can already see rise of fees for non-EU students. For instance, an MSc course in Management at UCL in 2012/13 will cost 10 percent more than this year. 
   So, if increasing the tuition fees for non-EU students and making tighter rules are the only good ways to control immigrations, the question remains: “what would make the UK education system unique for non-EU students in comparison with other countries?”  If they are not be able to pay less (or at least equally with other students), apply for bursaries, or get a permission to work after completing their studies, what would attract fresh and clever minds to this country?  

Policy-makers know that the recovery path of economy and immigration would not be easy or quick.
So, on the range of global challenges, they should try to move ahead with their bright and great commitments to introduce new and sustaining services for overseas students. Otherwise the chances of having a win-win situation are highly unlikely.

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