During
the Prime Minister’s recent visit to India, the immigration lobby claimed that
the recent 25% drop in student numbers from India is evidence that Britain has
been sending a negative message to overseas students.
The
reality is that the number of visas granted to Indian students almost doubled
in the two years after the introduction of the Points Based System (PBS). A paper issued by Migration Watch UK today shows that
there is clear evidence that a significant part of this increase was due to
bogus students. The student immigration system has now undergone significant
reform.
Commenting,
Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said “The Prime Minster was
right to say that Indian students were welcome. The sub text should be
that bogus ones are not. With 2.5 million still unemployed we need more
illegal workers like a hole in the head. Nor do they do anything for the
reputation of higher education in Britain.”