Further tensions regarding international students emerged yesterday as Cameron defended his overrule of Scotland’s cross-party support to allow international students to remain in Scotland post-study.
After the Scottish referendum in September 2014 with the three main UK parties promising Scottish Parliament more powers, Scotland created the Smith Commission Report which set out recommendations on how they would like their power to be strengthened. The report pulled all five of Scotland’s main political parties together and set out their vision of a future Scotland. In it, it states:
‘The parties…have agreed that the Scottish and UK Governments should work together to…explore the possibility of introducing formal schemes to allow international higher education students graduating from Scottish further and higher education institutions to remain in Scotland and contribute to economic activity for a defined period of time.’
In short, it appears that Scotland would like the post-study work visas to come back, which were scrapped in 2012. MacIntyre-Kemp, from Business for Scotland, was heard saying that ‘The student visa overhaul has harmed Scotland’s universities and the economy’ and added that Scotland needs these talent individuals to continue contributing to the economy. ‘To encourage students to come and study here, then send them home again immediately after they complete their studies, is both short-sighted and anti-entrepreneurial’, MacIntyre-Kemp continued.
However, it seems that the Conservative Government has absolutely no intentions to bring post-study visas back, and will rather only welcome international students (after, of course, an unwelcoming process) who can secure employment earning a minimum of £20,800 but depends on the job.