NUS BACKS BIS COMMITTEE REPORT ON CHANGES TO STUDENT IMMIGRATION REPORTING

The National Union of Students (NUS) today welcomed a strong response from the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Committee to the Government’s announcement this week that it would not remove students from net migration statistics. In their report the BIS Committee call on the Government to ‘listen, think again and change course.’

The Committee’s response comes as quarterly migration statistics published today show a 20 per cent drop in international students arriving in the UK*.

In January, five select committee chairmen wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to remove overseas student numbers from migration targets**.

This week NUS launched a new campaign asking students to ‘Give the Home Office the Yellow Card’ by writing to Home Secretary, Theresa May and calling on her to stop treating international students like a political football.

Daniel Stevens, NUS International Students Officer:

“There is a strong consensus for removing students from migration statistics and it is to their immense credit that the BIS Select Committee has decided to challenge the government’s response in this way.

“Since taking office the coalition government have continually treated international students as a political football, which is why we’re asking people to contact the Home Office and give them the yellow card.

“The case for changing international student visas policy has now been backed by five select committees, students, universities, businesses and politicians of all parties.

“The Government must now listen to experts and reverse their position before further damage is done to both the UK’s global standing, the vibrancy of our campuses and the prospect of economic recovery.”