There is a new development over a long-standing row concerning international student numbers in the UK which could affect Nigerian and other immigrant students who may soon face the risk of deportation once they complete their studies.
It is as a result of the debate between Suella Braverman the UK Home Secretary and the Department of Education over issues of post-study visas for international students. According to a UK media report, Braverman seeks to cut down the amount of time foreign students can stay in the UK after their studies.
The UK Home Secretary is committed to reducing the number of immigrant and unskilled foreign workers coming to Britain, from the current number of 239,000 to tens of thousands.
In addition, she intends to reduce the number of international students who can apply for post graduate study work visa, which allows any student who has passed their degree to remain and work in the UK for at least two years.
But the Department for Education are resisting plans by Braverman to cut it to just six months, after which they have to have a skilled job that makes them eligible for a work visa or leave the UK. Presently, students who come to the UK to study can stay behind for two years after graduation.
This has attracted many Nigerians because the UK is typically the first country of choice for international education.
UK Education officials fear this move will make the UK less attractive to foreign students, who pay far more than UK students for their courses and are a major source of income for universities.
Data from the UK’s home office reported earlier showed that the number of study visas awarded to Nigerians rose by 222.8%, with 65,929 tickets issued as of June 2022, compared to 20,427 in the same period in 2021.
In a similar vein, other reports show that Nigerian students and their dependents in the UK made an estimated £1.9 billion contribution to the country’s economy.
According to figures for the 2021 to 2022 academic year, a total of £54.3 million in taxes were paid by the working spouses of these students, who also paid a reported sum of £680,620,000 in school fees. At the moment all stakeholders eagerly await the outcome of this debacle.