Foreign students should be disqualified from government targets cutting immigration
Former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine has warned restricting foreign student numbers could harm UK
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Foreign students should be excluded from the government’s target for cutting non-EU immigration, the former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine has urged.
Students are not seen by the public as part of the “immigration problem,” and restricting their numbers may cause unnecessary damage to the UK’s reputation abroad, he told the BBC.
After graduating, the students return to their home countries where many are likely “ambassadors” spreading goodwill towards the UK.
“There are very large numbers of students in this country - in our universities, in our business schools - who are a great asset financially and educationally. The public do not see students who come and go as part of the immigration problem,” Lord Heseltine said.
His remarks were supported by Labour’s shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna. “Government immigration policy and rhetoric has already done immense damage to higher education - one of the UK’s biggest exports worth over £10 billion a year,” he said.
The government has had to concede that it is unlikely to meet a target set by David Cameron to reduce net immigration below 100,00 a year by 2015. Last year’s total was 212,000. But the Home Office insisted yesterday that officials have clamped down on bogus students without harming the intake of those who genuinely want to study.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments