Farron: Government doesn’t understand needs of universities or public perceptions of immigration

Universities UK has published the results of a poll carried out by ICM which shows that only a quarter of people think of foreign students as immigrants and that the vast majority of people think that foreign students make a valuable contribution and should be allowed to stay on to work here after graduation.

Two-thirds agreed that international students have a positive impact on the local economies of the towns and cities that they study in, and three in five (59%) agreed that their economic contribution helps create jobs.

The poll also indicated that seven in ten adults believe it is better if international students use their skills here and work in the UK for a period of time in order to contribute to the economy rather than returning immediately to their home country after completing their stud

Almost half (47%) of those polled believed there should be no limit on how long international students should be able to stay and work in the UK after they have completed their study, providing they are employed and contributing to the economy.

Tim Farron had this to say about the poll:

This research shows that the government doesn't understand the needs of our universities or the perceptions of the public. The Conservatives' broken promise to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands was wrong and their blind drive to achieve it will do enormous damage to our economy and institutions like universities.

"What these figures show is that most people in the country recognise the contribution international students make in coming to the UK for their studies, both financial and social. We have some of the best universities in the world and we should want to attract the brightest students in the world to study at them.

The government must think again about their ludicrous clamp down on foreign students, reintroduce post study work visas, and stop coming up with gimmicky policies which are aimed at appealing to the right wing nationalists in the Conservative party and UKIP.