UKIBC continue engagement with Home Office on new Graduate Immigration Route
By UK India Business Council (UKIBC)
On 15th April, we wrote to the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, asking for clarification on the new Graduate Immigration Route (GIR).
In response, the Secretary of State confirmed that the GIR will be launched in the summer of 2021 and that any student who successfully completes a course of study at degree level or above at a Higher Education Provider (HEP) with a track record of compliance will be able to apply for the route provided they hold valid leave as a student, at the point of implementation.
Following consultation with our UK member universities last week, we have sent further recommendations that our members, and we at the UKIBC, believe would be beneficial for international students interested in studying in the UK and the UK higher education sector:
- Confirmation that the online element of the GIR will be accepted indefinitely, which will help to alleviate concerns that relevant applicants have.
- Assurances to help instil confidence in students initially studying online that application for a student visa will not become a stumbling block.
- Finally, for the government to actively market the GIR with these clarifications. This, along with a message (when appropriate) that Britain is open, that universities are open and that the sector is working to respond to the current situation, would significantly help to attract more Indian students to study in the UK.
We are fully supportive of the new GIR and hope that by raising these issues, universities and students can receive the clarifications they need to support the UK’s fantastic offering to international students.
Relieving prospective students’ concerns and sending a clear message that the UK is welcoming to international students will help to accrue economic and social benefits across the UK economy and society.
