JUST IN: UK concludes plans to deport Nigerians, other international students over poor grades

The United Kingdom (UK) is considering the deportation of international students who fail to achieve high grades, according to a report by The Telegraph.

According to Punch, Home Secretary James Cleverly has reportedly advised the UK Migration Advisory Committee to review the graduate visa as part of a five-point plan aimed at reducing net migration by 300,000 from record-high levels.

The report reveals that over 98,000 international students were granted two-year visas to stay in the UK after graduation, marking a year-on-year increase of 74 percent.

Concerns have been raised that the visa is being used as a pathway to work in the UK, often in low-skilled jobs, or merely to remain in the country for two years without employment requirements.

Professor Brian Bell, Chairman of the committee, highlighted the absence of a requirement for students to graduate with specific grades and expressed the need for a review of the graduate route.

The committee intends to assess whether certain restrictions should be imposed, such as allowing foreign students to stay only if they attend specific universities or complete specified courses. Further limitations on types of jobs or activities may also be considered.

Bell emphasized the current lack of restrictions on students’ activities during the two-year period, suggesting that comprehensive reform might be necessary.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick have joined calls to either overhaul or eliminate the graduate visa, expressing concerns that it contributes to immigration and is susceptible to abuse.

In an earlier article, Jenrick noted, “The graduate route is ripe for comprehensive reform. Too many universities have fallen into the migration, rather than education business, and are marketing low-grade, short courses as a backdoor to a life in the UK.”