British gov't unveils plans to cut non-EU student numbers by up to 120,000

The British government announced plans on Tuesday to limit the number of foreign students studying in the country.

The plans, announced in a government green paper, are not yet certain to become law but they could see up to 120,000 students from outside the European Union (EU) excluded from studying in Britain in future years.

Britain is unable to limit the number of students from EU countries who study in there, but the new coalition government faces a problem because the senior coalition party, the Conservatives, promised in its manifesto in the run-up to the May general election that it would cut the number of immigrants from 215,000 in 2009 each year to a promised "tens of thousands" by the time of the next scheduled election in 2015.

Last week the government took the first step towards reaching this target by restricting the number of visas available for workers from outside the EU to come and work in Britain.

Immigration Minister Damian Green explained the plans on Tuesday to limit student numbers. He said: "We must be more selective about who can come here and how long they can stay. People imagine students to be those who come here for a few years to study at university and then go home -- that is not always the case.

"Too many students coming to study at below degree level have been coming here to live and work, rather than studying. We need to stop this abuse.

"Today's proposals follow a major review of the system, and are aimed at a more selective system and, crucially, reducing the numbers to meet our target of reducing net migration to sustainable levels."

In addition, favorable visa policies which allowed students to remain in Britain and look for work after their courses had finished will be changed. Tens of thousands of non-EU students who are currently able to remain in Britain, may soon be forced to return to their home countries.

British government statistics show that up to 66 percent of non- EU immigrants arrive as students who later seek work after finishing study.

The government estimates that 300,000 students from outside the EU study each year in Britain, and that 120,000 of those study on courses below degree level. It is these students who will be most affected by the proposed changes if they are introduced.

The government has said it will only allow highly-trusted educational institutes, like universities, to offer places to non- EU students, and this could spell financial disaster for the many private colleges which have sprung up across the country.

The government says that some of these colleges are not strict enough on students, and allow them to work when they should be studying full-time, while other courses are bogus and merely allow foreign students to come to Britain and to then hunt for work.

The government paper will be open for discussion for the next two months. It also includes proposals to introduce a tougher English language requirement ensuring students wishing to extend their studies show evidence of academic progression; limiting students' entitlements to work and their ability to bring in dependents; and improving the accreditation process for schools and colleges, alongside more rigorous inspections.

The government aims to have any changes in student visas in place for the next academic year, which begins in autumn 2011.

Some professional bodies were swift to criticize the government plans.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK which represents the universities in Britain, said: "We do not think international students should be counted as migrants. They are not here for economic reasons. Unlike workers, their time in the UK does not count towards any later application for settlement, and they have no recourse to public funds. If students wish to progress onto further study or take up employment, they must apply to the Home Office for another visa.

"As part of the review, it's crucial that the Home Office publishes more information about the different types of international students coming to study in the UK -- whether they are here to study at universities, independent schools, further education colleges, English language colleges or in the private sector."

She warned that international student mobility was "crucial" to the success of British universities, and that policy decisions about future student immigration policy was "based on proper evidence and not anecdote."