Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 78
78
The UK Government has also announced, as recommended by our predecessor Committee,185 a new Graduate...
Conclusion
The UK Government has also announced, as recommended by our predecessor Committee,185 a new Graduate visa route—initially piloted in Scotland with great success186—which will open for applications from 1 July 2021. This will allow undergraduates to remain in the UK to work for up to two years after successfully completing their studies.187 This visa route will be unsponsored, meaning that applicants will not need a job offer to apply. In addition, there will be no minimum salary requirements or caps on numbers.188 After the two years, students will be able to switch onto a Skilled work visa if they find a job which meets certain skill requirements.189 Matt Crilly said to us that the introduction of the post-study work visa was “incredibly welcome” and “vital”.190 Scottish Government influence over UK immigration policy
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The UK Government is absolutely committed to supporting the UK higher education sector, and to increasing the number of international students and academics that come here. This is demonstrated in the migration statistics which were recently published. In 2021, there were 432,279 Sponsored study visas granted (to both main applicants and their dependants), 89% (203,313) more than the previous year and 52% (147,558) higher than 2019. Of the 432,279 Sponsored visas granted, 13,128 (3%) were under Tier 4 rules and 419,151 (97%) were under the new Student and Child Student routes introduced on the 5th October 2020.1 1 Please note that year-on-year changes may have been impacted by changes to travel plans and patterns due to the pandemic. The number of Sponsored study visas granted in 2021, is the highest on record with the substantial increase representing both a recovery from lower numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic but also an increase on the pre-pandemic period. It is 41% higher than the previous record of 307,394 which occurred in the year ending June 2010. We have significantly improved the offer to students made by our immigration system to ensure the UK is as attractive as possible to genuine international students. As part of these changes we launched the Student and Child Student route in October 2020 and the Graduate route in July 2021. The new routes are streamlined, simplified, and provide clearer pathways for students and graduates who want to progress through their academic career and seek employment in the UK via a skilled work route after their studies. We have also introduced a series of concessions to support the education sector and international students across the UK during Covid-19, providing certainty to students and the sector by enabling distance and blended learning for international students until April next year; ensuring that Covid-related absences will not count against students; and ensuring reporting and compliance assessment requirements do not place unnecessary burden on sponsors whose students defer their studies, or withdraw from a course, as a result of the pandemic. We shall submit our response to the Committee’s Report on Immigration and Scotland shortly.