Research leaders join chorus of concern on graduate visa threat

Wellcome chief executive warns institutions are in “dire straits” as ministers mull visa restrictions

Research leaders have appealed to ministers not to threaten the sustainability of university finances by making it harder for them to attract international students.

The calls come after a report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), published on 14 May, recommended that the graduate route visa be retained. Whether the government heeds the committee’s advice remains to be seen, as concerns mount that further cuts to international student numbers would damage research and threaten some universities with collapse.