Committee welcomes planned changes to overseas student migration figures
13 September 2012
On Thursday 6 September the Business Innovation and Skills Committee published its Report on Overseas Students and Net Migration.
The Report called on the Government to record overseas students under a classification that does not count against the overall limit on net migration in order to allow the UK to continue to expand its share of the overseas student market.
In a speech to University leaders the Higher Education Minister, Rt. Hon. David Willetts MP signalled that the Government was ready to accept this recommendation.
Commenting on Mr Willett’s speech, the Chairman of the Business, Innovation and Skill Committee, Adrian Bailey MP, said:
I warmly welcome this announcement. Only last week, my Committee recommended that overseas students should not be included in net migration figures for domestic policy purposes. Today’s speech by David Willetts is a clear indication that he has listened to us.
The Minister has acted to improve transparency in the migration figures and to support our world-class universities. I fully support this positive move.