New Delhi: Overseas education recruiters have welcomed the move by the UK government to keep the graduate visa route as it comes as a huge sigh of relief for Indian students.
This comes after the UK government made a significant announcement that it would retain the graduate visa route for international students that allows students to work or seek employment for two years post-graduation, with an extension to three years for those pursuing a PhD.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Sridhar P, Founder of Next Step-Overseas Education Consultant, based in Hyderabad said, "We have been helping students since 2008 and the UK has been one of the major destinations for Indian students because of the Post Study work visa (PSW), which allows them to stay back in Britain and look out for jobs. This has been the major reason why students are attracted to the UK along with the low tuition fees; easy entry requirements for admissions and easy visa process, where the students need not write for IELTS or TOEFL".
About 40 per cent of international students hail from India in the UK and over the past few years, international students have contributed to the UK's economy in a big way.
The decision to keep the graduate visa route after much discussion and debates in the UK cabinet is a welcome move for international students, especially for the Indian students who were looking at the UK as one of the top destinations, where they could have access to affordable tuition fees and an easy visa process, Sridhar said.
"It is a huge relief for students as well as parents as it provides an opportunity for them to settle down in the UK after spending a huge amount of money on their education. As an international agent recruiter, we welcome the move by the Britain govt as this could help Indian students who aspire to pursue higher education in the UK", he added.
According to sources, the UK home office will instead focus on regulating agents that recruit international students and bring out tougher compliance standards for institutions recruiting them. It will be kept under review, as it sets out proposals to crack down on student visas to ensure they aren’t used as a gateway to immigration.
Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) recommendations have played an important role in shaping this policy, advocating against the scrapping of the graduate route. Initially, there were discussions about potential modifications to restrict visas exclusively to the best and brightest individuals, a proposal that has since evolved. According to the UK's home office, the policy will be continuously reviewed to ensure that student visas are not misused as a pathway for immigration.
Notably, as of the 2021/22 academic year, there are 126,535 Indian students seeking to pursue degrees in UK universities. Indian students constitute the second largest group of non-EU international students in the UK.
Interestingly, in 2019, the number of Indian students in the UK increased by an impressive 63 per cent compared to the previous year. Moreover, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the presence of Indian international students in UK universities continues to grow.
First-year Indian international student enrollments increased by 27 per cent, from 41,815 in 2019-20 to 53,015 in 2020-21, representing 19 per cent of all non-EU enrolments2. With more than 120,000 Indian students studying in the UK during the 2021-2022 academic year, Indian students form one of the largest international student communities in the UK.
Their numbers have consistently increased over the past few years, making the UK an attractive study destination for Indian students. The UK government's previous proposal to limit the number of graduate visas aimed to address migration concerns.
According to reports, there could be a potential policy change while opting for the graduate visa route. Students who wish to apply for (PSW) visa would have to undergo mandatory English tests. Therefore, the new move by the UK govt is expected to enhance the quality of education and ensure that students are proficient in English as per the UK's academic standards and expectations.
