Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Postgraduate Research Applications: Visa Changes

Monday 29 January 2024 · 5 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister asserts visa changes maintain UK's status as a top destination for international students.
  • Hon. member cites UCAS data showing a decline in accepted applications from international students.
  • Minister emphasizes that the UK exceeds the target of attracting over 600,000 international students annually.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Stephens SNP
Immigration
Context

The question arises from concerns about the impact of recent visa policy changes on international students applying for postgraduate research programmes in the UK.

Question

What assessment has her Department made of the potential impact of changes to visa fees and conditions on the number of applications for postgraduate research?

Answer from Robert Halfon

Our visa changes strike the right balance, ensuring we have a fair and robust migration policy but maintaining the UK's place as a top destination for the best and brightest from around the world. The hon. and learned Lady will be pleased to know that we continue to attract the best scientists from across the world: we have over 46,000 postgraduate research students from overseas, 41% of the total, producing groundbreaking and collaborative research.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impact of visa fee changes on application numbers was not addressed with a concrete assessment or figures.

How: Our Visa Changes Strike The Right Balance, We Continue To Attract

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Q2 Joanna Cherry SNP
Immigration Education
Context

The question addresses a significant decrease in accepted applications from international students, highlighting the specific cases of Heriot-Watt and Edinburgh Napier universities.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answer, but I am afraid the evidence does not entirely bear out what he is saying, because UCAS figures reveal a notable fall in accepted applications from international students. Both Heriot-Watt and Edinburgh Napier universities in my constituency of Edinburgh South West are highly sought after destinations for international PhD students. Both carry out vital scientific research, with strong links to commercial and industrial needs—not just in Scotland, but across the United Kingdom and, indeed, across Europe and the world—but the Government's visa rules are making those universities far less attractive destinations for international students.

Answer from Robert Halfon

I know that the hon. and learned Lady is a stickler for data. Our target was for over 600,000 international students every year, and we are well over that target. As I say, our visa changes strike the right balance, being fair to the taxpayer while ensuring that we have good international students coming to our country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impact of visa rules on making universities less attractive destinations was not addressed with concrete details or figures.

How: Our Target Was For Over 600,000 International Students Every Year, We Are Well Over That Target

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Q3 Chris Stephens SNP
Immigration Science & Technology
Context

Concerns about the impact of a significant increase in the minimum salary requirement for skilled worker visas on the prospects of early-career researchers and academics coming to the UK.

Question

The minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker visa is set to increase by 48%, from £26,200 to £38,700, jeopardising the prospects of early-career researchers and academics coming to the UK. Can the Minister answer the question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Joanna Cherry) that he did not answer: how will the UK be a science superpower behind that visa paywall?

Answer from Robert Halfon

I think I have set that out. We have 36% of university researchers coming from outside the UK, and over 46,000 postgraduate students from overseas—41% of the total. What I would say to the hon. Gentleman is that the real cost of the SNP's tuition fee policy is that Scottish universities are unable to provide places for local students, who are 13% less likely to take a place at a university in Scotland than English students are to take a place in England.

Not addressed: The question about becoming a science superpower was not addressed; instead the answerer discussed SNP's tuition fee policy.

How: The Real Cost Of The Snp'S Tuition Fee Policy Is That Scottish Universities Are Unable To Provide Places For Local Students

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Q4 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Education
Context

Concern about Russell Group universities potentially taking in students with lower academic qualifications for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, affecting the fairness of entry criteria.

Question

Will the Minister be investigating the discovery, exposed by The Sunday Times yesterday, of Russell Group universities taking students with much lower academic qualifications for undergraduate degrees, and when he does so, will he check that the same is not happening in the postgraduate field, given the much higher fees that can be charged for overseas students?

Answer from Robert Halfon

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. He will know that, while I am a strong supporter of international students, I am absolutely clear that I want a level playing field for all domestic students as well. I met vice-chancellors only yesterday afternoon, as soon I had seen the report in The Sunday Times, and I have asked the Department for Education to carry out an urgent investigation into bad practice by agents where it occurs, as I was very disturbed by what I saw. We want absolute fairness of entry for domestic students as much as for international students.

Answered
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Q5 Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington
Immigration
Context

Concern about the potential impact of changes to postgraduate work visas on the international education strategy's sustainability.

Question

I listened to the Minister's response to the hon. and learned Member for Edinburgh South West (Joanna Cherry), but in December I was also assured by the Minister that he was committed to the target of 600,000 international students. However, recent research from IDP has found 45% of its August and September applicants to study in the UK would consider changing their study destination if post-study work visa lengths are shortened.

Answer from Robert Halfon

The hon. Gentleman, the Opposition spokesman, knows that visa matters are for the Home Office. The Migration Advisory Committee is looking at the postgraduate international student visa route and will come to its conclusions. However, as I keep saying to him, our target was for over 600,000 international students a year, and we have well surpassed that.

How: Visa Matters Are For The Home Office, The Migration Advisory Committee Is Looking At The Postgraduate International Student Visa Route

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