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HSMP Forum’s Press Release |
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Govt’s plan
for a U-turn on student visas
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Dt – 10th July 2012
The UK Government seems to be mulling over relaxing the rules on student
visas and exempting them from the net migration numbers, and it only
shows the conservative-led government’s shoddy way of handling
immigration in the country.
The HSMP forum has always maintained that students are valuable assets to
the country’s economy just like other immigrants. However, the
government applied a blanket rule to cap immigration numbers. The result
is for everyone to see; a policy gone horribly wrong forcing the
government to retract its steps and make amends while suffering a loss
of face before the public.
The Conservative Party
pledged to cut the net migration to below 100,000 by the next general
election in 2015 and
plans to show a drop in immigration numbers
simply by leaving out students while announcing some strict interview
rules for those applying to study in the UK. While it is obvious that
students form the largest chunk of the migration figures, it reveals the
government’s desperate attempts to achieve their ambitious and
impractical targets.
Amit Kapadia, the executive
director of HSMP forum said, “Who are they trying
to fool by dressing up the figures? It is quite obvious that they are
trying to keep up a brave face despite making a grave error of
underestimating the value of foreign students to Britain’s economy.
Similarly, they should have the foresight to consider all issues
pertaining to immigration instead of just concerning themselves to
reducing the number of non-EU people entering the country. In days to
come, we may see more such U-turns. Migrants need Britain as much as Britain needs them. If the
government keeps sending wrong messages to prospective international
students and skilled migrants then it is going to harm the British
economy in the long run.”
References:
Website – www.hsmpforum.org / www.hsmpforumltd.com email - info@hsmpforum.org / amit@hsmpforumltd.com
HSMP Forum is a not-for-profit
organisation and bears its origins to the UK's Highly Skilled Migrant
Programme, which was introduced in 2002. It was formed after the 2006
decision by Government to apply new qualifying criteria for existing
Highly Skilled Migrants. HSMP Forum has
been lobbying the legislature, executive and the judiciary by
challenging unfair policies to Skilled Migrants to work and settle in
the UK. The aim of the organisation is to support and assist migrants
under the world-renowned British principles of fair play, equality and
justice and believes in challenging any unfair policies, which undermine
the migrants’ interests.
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