The UK’s system of post-study work visas is likely to be fuelling low-wage migration rather than drawing “global talent” into high-skilled jobs, according to the committee tasked with reviewing the scheme.
In a report published on Tuesday, the independent Migration Advisory Committee said the introduction of the graduate route, which allows international students and their dependants to work in the UK for two years after graduation, had made the UK a “significantly more attractive destination” for those who wanted to enter its labour market.
Even before its introduction in 2021, many international masters students worked in low-wage roles in their first year after graduation, and earned little more after five years, the MAC said. Since then, a surge in international student numbers has been driven by enrolment at less selective, low-cost universities.