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Students with low grades deportation in UK. According to the UK Migration Advisory Committee, international students on two-year graduate visas who do not obtain high grades may be prevented from remaining in the UK.
According to The Telegraph, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly has been urged to reassess the graduate visa as part of a five-point plan to reduce net migration by 300,000 from record high levels.
It announced that over 98,000 students were awarded two-year visas to stay in the UK after graduating in June 2023, a 42,000 or 74% rise in just a year.
“There are concerns that it is being used as a backdoor route to work in the UK, often in low-skilled jobs, or simply to stay for two years as there is a two-year limit.”
The Chairman, MAC, Prof. Brian Bell, said, “There’s no requirement to get particular grades in your university course or anything like that.
“That’s the question we want to review in the graduate route to think about whether that’s sensible or whether you should have a rule that says you have to achieve a certain grade or a certain kind of achievement in your course.”
Bell stated that his committee will also look into whether additional limits should be imposed that would only enable foreign students to stay in the UK if they attended specific universities or finished specific degrees. It could also be restricted to specific vocations or hobbies.
“At the moment, there are no limitations on what you can do.” If you have the money, you can basically lounge around and do nothing in the UK for two years. You can also work for minimum wage or for a very large salary.”
In addition, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick advocated for the abolition or reform of the graduate visa, citing worries that it was fueling immigration and was subject to abuse.
Jenrick stated in a recent Telegraph article, “The graduate route is ripe for comprehensive reform.” Too many universities have become mired in the migration industry rather than the teaching business, and they are offering low-level, short courses as a backdoor to life in the UK.”