Here’s how to make the immigration regime better for for international students

Since taking office, the UK’s Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson said that the new government “supports and values” the contribution that international students make to the UK – and that they should feel welcome to come and study in the UK.

In a video, she expresses her admiration for international students taking a leap of faith, developing new skills and chasing new horizons, and confirms her passion is for a Britain that looks outwards in optimism.

But we think there’s things that the government can do to turn that rhetoric into reality – changes to the way we treat part-time work, entrepreneurship and intermission that would make a real difference to our international members.

A lot of them

In 2021, 9.2 per cent of the population was not British, including hundreds of thousands of international students enrolled in British universities. During the 2019-2020 academic year, the UK hosted 557,000 international students, and by March 2024, there were 446,924 sponsored study visas issued.

The end of free movement in the UK on December 31, 2020, following Brexit, brought notable changes for European Union students seeking higher education in the UK.

Previously, EU students could move freely to the UK without the need for visas, but now they must undergo the same visa application process as non-EU students. This change highlights a broader issue within the UK’s immigration system – where concerns about immigration, particularly around the misuse of student visas, have heavily influenced policy decisions.

But much of this fear appears unfounded. Concerns that international students are using student visas as a backdoor to permanent settlement have been a central theme in immigration debates.

Yet government data reveals that 84 per cent of non-EU students who started their courses in 2015 no longer held valid UK visas by 2020, indicating that the vast majority leave the UK after completing their studies.

Despite these concerns, the economic contributions of international students are undeniable. The UK government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of attracting and retaining global talent.

The graduate route stays

In 2021, the Home Office reaffirmed that the Graduate route, which allows students to stay in the UK for up to two years after completing their degrees, was created to retain skilled graduates and support the UK economy.

Additionally, a report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) concluded that the Graduate route is not being misused and does not compromise the quality of the UK’s higher education system.

Challenges beyond the visa system

Despite the clear benefits of having international students in the UK, they continue to face numerous challenges. One of the most pressing issues is the high cost of visas.

Visa fees for international students have steadily increased, creating a financial burden, especially when combined with the already high costs of studying and living in the UK. This raises concerns about the accessibility of British education, particularly for students from low- and middle-income countries.

In addition to financial pressures, international students often encounter cultural challenges such as xenophobia, racism, and discrimination – 22 per cent of international students have faced one of these according to the International Student Barometer (ISB).

Recent far-right protests have highlighted the persistence of anti-immigration sentiment in the country, with international students often caught in the crossfire.

While the majority of the UK public may not hold these views, the presence of such hostility can make students feel unwelcome, impacting their mental health and overall experience.

Tough practicalities

These issues are then compounded by practical difficulties like securing housing without local guarantors, being asked to pay a full year’s rent upfront, not being able to bring dependants and dealing with homesickness and the emotional strain of being far from family.

Work restrictions also pose a major challenge. International students are currently limited to working 20 hours per week during term time, which, while seemingly reasonable, doesn’t fully consider the financial pressures many face, particularly given the UK’s high cost of living.

These restrictions also limit opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience that could enhance their academic achievements and future employability.

Finally, the lack of a clear path to permanent residency is a major barrier for many international students.

While the graduate route offers temporary post-study work opportunities, it doesn’t lead to permanent settlement. This is frustrating for students who have invested significant time, money, and effort into their UK education, only to be forced to leave after their visa expires.

The difficulty in securing jobs that offer sponsorship for skilled work visas adds to this frustration, especially for those who have built their lives in the UK.

Government response and the future

The UK government has recognized the importance of international students and has taken steps to improve their experience, particularly through the Graduate route.

A Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) review found no evidence of widespread abuse of the system and stressed that international students have a positive impact on public finances.

Most international graduates work and contribute economically, while being ineligible for public funds. Despite these contributions, issues like visa costs, working restrictions, and lack of a clear path to settlement remain unresolved.

Looking ahead, the government must continue to focus on easing the visa process, reducing costs, and providing clearer routes to settlement for students who wish to stay. In doing so, the UK can remain a competitive destination for international talent, which is crucial for maintaining its position as a global leader in higher education. International students enrich the UK’s universities and contribute to research, innovation, and cultural diversity.

By addressing these key issues, the UK can build a more equitable and attractive system for students from around the world.

Our union’s Campaign for Change

Recognising that many of the challenges international students face require long-term solutions, Kent Students’ Union has launched a campaign focused on immediate, practical changes, with the primary goal of increasing the cap on working hours.

The current 20-hour limit during term time fails to account for the financial pressures students endure, especially with the rising cost of living in the UK.

By advocating for an increase to 30 hours per week, the campaign seeks to give international students greater financial stability while also allowing them to gain valuable work experience that will enhance their future career prospects.

In addition to addressing working hour limitations, the campaign prioritises building entrepreneurship among international students. Right now, visa restrictions prevent them from engaging in independent work or starting their own businesses.

Our campaign calls for the removal of these barriers, arguing that enabling entrepreneurship would not only support the students but also contribute to the UK economy by unlocking their innovative potential and business ideas.

The campaign also advocates for more flexibility around full-time work opportunities. Currently, international students are restricted to full-time work only during official holidays and breaks.

We’re pushing for this allowance to be extended to intermission periods, giving students the chance to maximize their work opportunities without conflicting with their academic commitments.

The campaign also seeks to extend the intermission period from the current 59 days to 120 days, providing students with more time to manage personal challenges.

We’re also asking for more honesty on the costs that students will face. The maintenance requirement (the amount of money you need in the bank to get into the UK) doesn’t reflect the UK’s cost of living, and it looks like it won’t in the future.

We’d like to see that limit changed to reflect reality, and a new duty on both universities and their agents to provide honest and accurate information about cost of living, accommodation and other issues beyond the university and the course.

These changes would not only alleviate financial strain but would also bring UK policies more in line with other leading education markets, where students enjoy more flexible work options.

As the UK increasingly loses international students to countries with more accommodating systems, implementing these reforms is essential to maintaining its competitiveness.

International students are vital to financing the higher education sector, and without them, the UK’s universities risk falling behind, both financially and in global influence. It is crucial that the UK acts swiftly to create a more supportive environment, or it risks further eroding its status as a top destination for international talent.

Just as international students do, the steps involve the government taking a leap of faith, developing new skills and chasing new horizons. It will confirm its “passion is for a Britain that looks outwards in optimism” by taking real action.