UKIBC urges Government to accept the findings of the MAC Review of the Graduate Route visa
By Trisha Nagpal
The UKIBC welcomes the outcome of the Migration Advisory Committee’s review, which recommends that the Government retains the current Graduate Route visa arrangements for Indian and other international students in the UK.
This is a common-sense recommendation. It is good for students and UK Universities, good for university towns and cities, good for the UK economy and for the wider UK-India relationship.
We now strongly urge the Government to accept the review’s findings.
The Higher Education sector is one of the UK’s greatest economic and soft power assets, enhanced by a thriving community of international students. These students are not just critical to universities’ finances and to the quality of academic and research output, they also make a huge contribution to the wider UK economy; bringing in £42 billion per year (as per 2021/22 figures), creating jobs and supporting growth in towns and cities all across the country.
It is also important to recognise the enormous value of the relationships that international students make in the UK. These people-to-people connections are a fundamental building block for the UK’s future international and economic relations, so at a time when the UK seeks to establish new relationships with fast growth economies a well-managed welcome to international students makes sound economic and strategic sense.
-Richard McCallum, UKIBC Group CEO
