Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Visa Income Thresholds: Universities

Monday 15 January 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK government has made an assessment balancing economic growth, labour market needs, and reducing immigration levels.
  • Director of Universities Scotland, Alastair Sim, has raised concerns about the impact of visa income threshold changes on universities' ability to attract global talent.
  • The government aims to ensure individuals can continue to make a valid contribution in a sustainable and managed way, with no immediate plans to introduce further exemptions to the increased salary threshold.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Thomson
Immigration Education
Context

The proposed changes to visa income thresholds are being assessed for their potential impact on the university sector, particularly in attracting international talent.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of proposed changes to visa income thresholds on the university sector?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

We have balanced economic growth, labour market needs with reducing immigration levels. Analytical work across government supports our decisions. A regulatory impact assessment will be developed in due course.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impacts on the university sector were not addressed, and no concrete measures to mitigate negative effects were provided.

How: Under Review, Analytical Work Across Government

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Q2 Richard Thomson
Education Scotland
Context

Director of Universities Scotland, Alastair Sim, has expressed concern that changes to the Government's visa income threshold could affect universities' ability to attract global talent. International students and academics contribute £5 billion annually to the Scottish economy.

Question

The director of Universities Scotland, Alastair Sim, has expressed concern that changes to the Government's visa income threshold could affect universities' ability to attract global talent. International students and academics make a contribution in excess of £5 billion annually to the Scottish economy. If the Government recognise the contribution of international students and academics, as they say they do, why are they introducing a policy that threatens to prevent future cohorts of them from making a similar contribution?

Answer from Tom Pursglove

Individuals will still be able to make a valid contribution in the years ahead, but in a sustainable and managed way. There are no immediate plans to introduce further exemptions to the increased salary threshold, but the salary discounts remain in place. We will continue to engage as the measures are introduced. At every opportunity, we should be trying to support domestic recruitment wherever we can.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked for specific exemptions or changes to the policy to protect future cohorts of international students and academics, which was not directly addressed.

How: No Immediate Plans, Sustainable Way

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