Let’s all up and leave and within no time - they’ll beg us to come back. Analyse the value of everything here in the U.K and you’ll be shocked, there’s nothing to this place. Yet they insult and mistreat us who’ve funded their economy while adhering to their absurd immigration rules not to mention exorbitant visa fee’s and ridiculous monetary limits.
I’m currently a student pursuing an MSc here in the University of Surrey. Recently, UKBA announced its plans to abolish the Tier 1 PSW visa system. I would like to provide my two cents on this issue.
I am a Malaysian international student and obtained my undergraduate degree in Canada. In comparison to the UK, Canada similarly has a ‘PSW visa system’, also known as the Canadian Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) which granted students graduating from Canadian universities 3 year work visas. After obtaining my Bachelor’s degree in Canada, I spent a year out of the obtained 3 year work visa gaining additional Canadian experience on top of the 2 years of industrial training experience as part of my degree program. I am within an industry that is highly mobile and competitive, and I have been very grateful for the opportunity to gain such international experience under the PGWP route which would not have been possible without Canada’s recognition of international students to the labour market, and its strategy in not just attracting only the ‘brightest and the best’ international students, but retaining them as well.
To say that such experience gained was invaluable to my future career is an understatement. As such, the UKBA’s plans to abolish the PSW visa pales in comparison to Canada’s policy on attracting high value migrants. I understand that the UK faces a problem with immigration numbers in the UK and the fact that there have been too many migrants taking advantage of the system. However, I wonder if UKBA needs to reassess whether migrant control can be managed through the complete abolishment of the PSW route or re-evaluate the eligibility of students applying for a PSW visa. Obviously, I support the latter, preferring stricter controls on the type of qualification necessary to apply for a PSW visa as opposed to the complete abolishment of the PSW.
Let’s put this into perspective by comparing both Canada and UK’s post-study work visa systems and this should inform us of why Canada’s PGWP is so much more effective in comparison to the UK’s PSW.
The following table provides a comparison between the differences in the Canadian PGWP and the UK’s PSW.
http://postimage.org/image/lr47hwarb/
The above table is really just a compilation of the key differences between Canada’s PGWP and UK’s PSW visa application processes. The key point to note here is that Canada awards the PGWP based on the length of study a student has already obtained in the country. Whereas compared with the UK PSW, the visa is awarded 2 years regardless of the duration of study a student undertakes in the UK. In other words, as long as an international student is awarded a recognized award (regardless of whether 90% of their study was outside the UK and finished the remaining 10% of their study within the UK) from the UK, they’ve essentially obtained a 2 year PSW. As everyone might agree with me, international students contribute almost three times more in terms of tuition fees to the host country when they study there. It is hence a reason why Canada also issues longer duration work permits to those who have contributed most to its economy. Simply put, the more fees and taxes you pay to study in the host country, the longer your work permit is. Also, the Canadian PGWP application process is within a very tight timeframe window. As opposed to the UK’s PSW which allows students to apply within 12 months of their completion and passing of their program of study, Canada only allows 3 months for the application as well as having a valid study permit while applying. This allows tighter controls from the government and educational institutions on awarding PGWP to students.
My past 7 months so far in pursuing an MSc here in the UK has been wonderful. I am a student representative of my class of approximately 120 students, and almost 90% of them are non-EU international students. There is no doubt about the huge potential contributions this brings to educational institutions within the UK and the economy as a whole. However, it is sad to say that with every employer presentation that comes to our university to conduct presentations and offering entry opportunities to graduates, it is all too common to hear that the employer will not be considering international non-EU students because of the visa issue.
The UK has always been a reputable country to be pursuing Higher Education, but with so many other countries (And in this case, Canada) offering further international experience after the completion of a study program, it is only a matter of time before international students decide to pursue their education where the grass is greener. I am aware that the PSW route may be closed in my time here, but I support the cause to reconsider the closure of the Tier 1 PSW route by the UKBA for the sake of its ability to attract international students, and hopefully retain the ‘best and the brightest’.
References:
UKBA, Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) of the Points Based System- Policy Guidancehttp://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/tier1poststudyworkguidance.pdf
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Work permits for students: Working after graduation – who can apply
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-postgrad-who.asp
Within the month, 9 friends have called me asking for advice generally on their Masters degree…..and within the month I have told 9 friends,”Whatever you do, don’t come here!” Sad, but true! I believe it’s right to do a cost benefit analysis before taking any choices….and I think whoever did it for the UK Government (if at all they did it) and decided to stop students coming here didn’t do their homework.
After having invested so much in letting me study for my PhD here in the UK, are you sure the smartest thing is to kick me out, instead of employing the specialty I acquired here?
I’m mad at the immigration policy within bureaucratic action that dampens vastly economic revenue for a short-term strategy when it cancelled PSW and improved visa level. The economic of the Uk is falling down continuously under the condition of insufficient employees so that will result in high wages to a limited member who cannot hold the job. The fact of aging is transparent at the moment and youths have not well educated which may shut down many stores. It is a slothful country that serving the world inconveniently and doubtfully. I believe the UK needs helping.
I’m an EU student, so the whole situation doesn’t directly affect me. What I will say, however, is that one of the reasons I chose to study in the UK was its vibrant, multicultural environment (something you don’t get to see that often in my country, especially in Universities). Scrapping the PSW visa is one of the biggest blunders that could be made, and a costly one at that. Multiculturalism is an asset and should be encouraged rather than stifled.
PSW will help both the international student as well as the UK economy. I urge the UK government to stop this new regulation now or the consequences will be huge. International students will find the UK less attractive for studies for instanc
removal of PSW will discourage foreign students to come to UK and get a degree here, when they can go to other countries and use their education in the country where they studied.
I urge UK government to rethink about their decision of abolishing PSW. Having PSW would be better for both the UK economy and the foreign students, as the government generates a lot of revenue from foreign students
