The economic benefit of international students is well understood by policy makers in Westminster but the international education sector is “fraught with risk”, including threats to the Graduate Route, a former universities minister said.
Recruitment for recent intakes have been hampered by “significant attrition” and “very late decision making” from prospective students, Jo Johnson said during the PIE Live Europe in London.
“Removing the rights for taught masters to bring dependants, raising the visa charge, increasing the health surcharge, ending switching – all of those effects are still to be fully felt,” Johnson said.
“On top of all of that, we have an accelerated review by the Migration Advisory Committee of the Graduate Route, which has been asked to report back by May 14.
