Rishi Sunak backtracks plan to axe graduate visas

After facing the cabinet opposition, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reportedly plans to backtrack its plan to remove the graduate visa route as it can be extremely damaging for the university sector of the UK which already requires more cash.

The UK government's plans to scrap the graduate visa route reportedly faced staunch opposition from Cabinet Colleagues. After facing opposition from the cabinet and getting demands from industry and education experts to not axe the policy, the prime minister will now plan to opt for more modest reforms to close loopholes in the policy to prevent immigration system of the UK.

As per the Financial Times report, the prime minister will soon announce that the policy will remain open for international students.

Those who strongly opposed the removal of the graduate visa route are - James Cleverly, home secretary, Lord David Cameron, foreign secretary, and Jeremy Hunt, chancellor.

“This is good news for our entire student community. Rishi Sunak is set to backtrack on his self-destructive plans to restrict or scrap the graduate route visa. Thousands of students supported our campaign to save the visa route and wrote to their MPs,” said a message by the UK student body - National Voice for Students (NUS UK).

UK Universities want Graduate Visa to stay

“International students contribute a lot to the UK, including billions to our economy. We've joined with universities across the North to ask the Prime Minister to retain the Graduate Visa Route and help keep the UK an attractive and welcoming destination,” reads a message by Lancaster University.

We’re proud that students from more than 150 countries around the world choose to study in Sheffield every year. We’re urging the government to follow the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendation to retain the graduate visa route, said The University of Sheffield.

“Not sure why its not in their report, but the data annex to the MAC report this morning points out that 41% of Grad visa holders with earnings "earned less than £15,000" a year. Given full time min wage work gets you c. £24k - this is not grad work,” stated Neil O'Brien MP for Harborough, Oadby & Wigston.

“The evidence from polling is clear: there is no support for tightening of visas on the graduate route. The public understand this. Time to stop the senseless self-harm to our economy and to focus on backing our national assets,” said Anton Muscatelli, Principal & VC of the University of Glasgow.

Read more:

• Businesses warn scrapping of Graduate Visa Route can undermine university sector
• Indian Students in UK Urge PM Rishi Sunak To Protect Graduate Route Visa Policy