UK universities are witnessing a significant decline in international student applications, raising concerns among university and industry leaders about the potential consequences of further restrictions on student visas for Britain’s creative sectors.
UK universities and industry leaders are apprehensive that axing or limiting the graduate visa entitlement, which allows international graduates to work in the UK for up to three years, might jeopardize the vital flow of talent to Britain’s creative industries. The concern arises from the imminent report by the migration advisory committee (MAC), which is expected to submit it to the government on Tuesday.
Creative UK, which represents the creative industries, emphasizes that eliminating the option for international students to stay and work in the UK after graduation could discourage them from studying here, thereby harming a sector valued at £108 billion annually.
Decline in overseas student application
Earlier restrictions on international students may have already contributed to a decline in overseas student applications, and uncertainty surrounding the future of the graduate visa appears to have exacerbated this trend. According to a survey conducted by the British Universities’ International Liaison Association involving 75 institutions, nine out of 10 reported a decrease in international applications for the upcoming academic year.
Creative UK and Universities UK, representing vice-chancellors, urge the government in a joint letter to dismiss any proposals to abolish or restrict the graduate visa pathway.The letter argues that international graduates are indispensable to the creative industries, which now surpass the UK’s aerospace, life sciences, and automotive sectors combined.
“The graduate visa remains one of the few avenues left for talented graduates to contribute to our burgeoning creative industries, especially in light of recent increases in visa fees and salary thresholds,” the letter emphasizes. “The role of our universities in attracting top creative talent globally, exemplified by figures like Jimmy Choo and DJ Peggy Gou, underscores the soft-power influence of our academic institutions.”
Sally Mapstone, vice-chancellor of St Andrews University and president of Universities UK, emphasized on Sky News that international students are vital contributors to UK culture and economy. She warned that further government actions to restrict international student numbers would not only be detrimental to institutions but also to the UK as a whole.