The British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, withdrew his proposal to cap the graduate visa in response to pressure from a few of his cabinet colleagues.
According to reports, Sunak was thinking of limiting or eliminating the visa option, which permits students to work in the UK for a maximum of two years following graduation.
Sky News reports that the time will stay in place despite requests from Home Secretary James Cleverly, Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
It was stated that the cabinet members expressed concerns about how changing the regulations will affect the economy and colleges.
The prime minister is anticipated to think of further strategies to “prevent abuse” and plug gaps in the lawful immigration system.
The report added that there will be some additional measures announced by the government this week to coincide with the latest net migration figures being published.
The measures are said to include the tightening of restrictions on agents that market British degree courses overseas and subjecting some international students to mandatory English tests.
Migration in the UK has been a very slippery subject among authorities in the government, who either tackle it with stiff opposition or advocate for a points-based system that prioritises skills and economic contribution.
On Wednesday, Suella Braverman, former home secretary, opposed the move to retain the graduate visa route and called for the whole scheme to be scrapped.
During her tenure, Braverman was very vocal about her aspirations to cut down on net migration.
In January 2023, the former home secretary drew up a plan to deport foreign students if they stayed longer than six months in the country after the completion of their studies without finding a job.
The proposal was met with strong criticism by the country’s department of education.
Sunak is also facing pressure from key figures in his administration to curb soaring migration numbers after data from the Home Office showed that half a million student visas were issued in 2022, while the number of dependants of overseas students increased by 750 percent since 2019.
Some reforms that the prime minister has made include stopping students and caregivers from bringing dependents and increasing the salary someone has to earn to qualify for a visa.
Credit: SkyNews
