Gillian Keegan 'very proud' of 600,000 international students coming to the UK every year

Gillian Keegan: "International education is popular. It makes us all richer" Photo: Jonathan Brady/Pennsylvania.

The Department for Education (DfE) is pushing for at least 600,000 international students to come to the UK every year amid the Cabinet immigration scandal.

Gillian Keegan, education secretary, said she » extremely proud» that over 600,000 international students are now coming to the UK, a target that should have been reached by 2030 but was reached eight years too soon.

DfE sources have made it clear that this is not a one-year goal, but is intended to be achieved each year due to the claimed benefits for economic growth and international relations.

This comes as net migration is predicted to reach record levels about 700,000 people, which is almost three times more than before the start. Brexit level when 2022 data is released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) next Thursday.

The data will put pressure on Rishi Sunak, who this week refused to promise he would deliver on Boris Johnson's promise in a manifesto to cut migration below 2019 levels.

Ministers are said to be close to agreeing on plans to limit the number of dependents, which international students enrolled in postgraduate courses can bring to the UK, which could reduce net migration by tens of thousands. This could be announced as early as next week before the release of the ONS data.

However, the DFE has resisted any move to go further, for example by extending the dependency ban to international PhD students over concerns that it could jeopardize their participation in large domestic and international research projects in the UK.

In a DfE note , reviewed by The Telegraph, says: «The goal of 600,000 for international students is not a one-year expectation, we must achieve it every year.»

< p>The note reported on a meeting last October at which Home Secretary Swella Braverman is said to have argued that as the UK reached its 600,000 target early, «it is time to review and cap the numbers.»

< p>She insisted. on visa restrictions for students with dependents and the two-year graduate visa, which allows foreign students who have completed courses to remain in the UK without any restrictions, even if they are not working.

The number of spouses and children brought to the UK by international students increased from 16,000 in 2019 to 135,800 last year. The DfE memo claimed that 300 students brought four or more dependents, although the Home Office said it did not recognize this figure. Another 73,000 received two-year graduate visas.

Keith Malthaus, then Minister of Education, is said to have argued that international students are doing more good for the economy than the oil and gas sector and that it is part of a «proactive sector development strategy».

Earlier this month, in a small public of speech, Ms. Keegan said, “I am very proud that we host over 600,000 international students every year. Popular international education. It makes us all richer. We all benefit as we build partnerships and strong ties. This is something we really appreciate.”

“We are proud that the UK remains a favorite destination for many students. With four of the world's top ten universities, the UK higher education sector is truly world class. In fact, 55 of the current world leaders have been educated right here in the UK, and only one country trains more world leaders: the US.”

An education source said, “600,000 a year is not a speed limit. This is not a closure. It is over this threshold because there are economic benefits and they are returning home. If the Home Office tried to introduce any kind of restriction or reduction, it would be a serious discussion.”

But Andrea Jenkins, who was higher education minister last fall, said she was excluded from the October meeting. “I was invited to this meeting, but it was canceled and rescheduled without my knowledge,” she said. «If I were there, I would agree with the Home Secretary that it is vital to reduce the total number of immigrants.» aim eight years early, and there should be no way to go beyond that already significant number.”

This comes after top management warned that the NHS’ reliance on foreign nurses had become unsustainable as The analysis showed that since 2019, foreign employees have accounted for two-thirds of the increase in staff.

“Chronic staffing shortages mean that the health service has become increasingly reliant on nurses and healthcare professionals from around the world to care for patients”" Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy for NHS Providers, told the Times.

“The contribution these employees make is invaluable, but over-reliance on international recruitment cannot be sustainable. We need to invest heavily in increasing the number of staff trained in the UK, along with the continued recruitment of colleagues from abroad.”

Conservatism Conference

Earlier this week, Ms. Braverman told the National Conference on Conservatism that the government needed to «reduce the total number of immigrants» as she called for a «high-skill, high-paying» economy that would be less dependent on low-skilled foreign labor.

The government was told that foreign students and migrant workers would help the growth. The Office of Accountability projects that an increase in the UK population due to increased net migration will add 0.5% to UK economic output in 2027.

No breakdown of the share of foreign workers and students, but research by the Advisory Committee on Migration found «strong evidence» that international students had a «net positive» impact on the economy.

Professor Brian Bell, chairman of the MAC, said: «The key point is that students spend a lot in the UK [as fees and the area in which they live], and they make little use of public services. Therefore, fewer students would certainly mean lower GDP.”

However, he said the government was right to look at dependency measures as they could undermine benefits to the economy, for example due to costs for the taxpayer. like sending your kids to school.