Billion-pound giveaway

A report out today lays bare the huge financial impact of abolishing post-study work visas seven years ago, and shows how beneficial international students are to the UK economy.

When the Migration Advisory Committee rejected the idea of reintroducing post-study work visas in September, it was seen as the final nail in the coffin for the long-running campaign to bring them back.

And so it proved. When ministers published the immigration white paper three months later, it confirmed that while there would be an extension to the amount of time students could remain in the UK after graduation “built in” to their student visas, there would be no dedicated post-study visa available.