UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has faced opposition, to restricting international students, from her own government as Education Secretary Gillian Keagan expressed her support towards overseas students who are "hugely valuable to British universities".
In an interview with The Financial Times, Keagan praised the increasing number of international students coming to the UK amid reports that Suella Braverman-led Home Office is considering restricting international students in the country or changing rules regarding their terms of stay during their process of gaining a post-study work visa.
Keagan also told the business daily that she expects the UK to see an increase in revenue from 26 billion pounds to 35 billion pounds through its education exports, which comprise British universities, partner institutions, distance learning, international campuses, etc.
Both Ministers met each other to discuss policies on overseas students
FT had also reported that Keagan and Braverman met with each other in order to discuss automatic qualification for international students for a two-year work visa.
Though students are not required to have a job in these two years to stay in the UK, Braverman-led Home Office is considering cutting short the duration to six months, according to local media reports.
Keagan and Braverman have also examined the possibility for students on 'low-value' courses to bring dependants to the UK, according to reports.
3 lakh Indian students expected to study in UK in 2023
Around 6,80,000 international students are currently studying in the UK according to numbers released by UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) with over 3 lakh Indian students expected to join UK universities in 2023, as per UK Education Consultancy UKScholar.
The Goan-origin Minister, who had resigned from the Liz Truss Government over a gaffe related to an official document, was reinstated by the Rishi Sunak government despite her vocal opposition to 'overstaying Indian migrants' though UK Home Office data suggested that only a tiny proportion of Indian migrants, 4.4%, overstayed their visas in the UK.
Keagan and Braverman have also examined the possibility for students on 'low-value' courses to bring dependants to the UK, according to reports.
