Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to undertake a review of his Department's policy on the inclusion of international students within the net migration target.

There is no limit to the number of international students who can come to study in the UK, and as the White Paper ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration system’ makes clear, there will continue to be no limit on the number of international students who can study here in the future.

The independent Office for National Statistics, who follow best international practice, produce the migration statistics and the Government does not seek to influence this. The Migration Advisory Committee recommended that international students should not be removed from the net migration statistics and the Government has accepted this recommendation.

The MAC also stated that continued discussion of students in the net migration target may be contributing to any perception that the UK is not welcoming to international students. In any event, being included in the net migration target does not act to students’ detriment as there is no limit on the number of international students who can come to study in the UK.