Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect on international student numbers of the decision to restrict UK student visas for foreign graduates to four months after completion of their studies.

The Government welcomes international students to the UK, and recognises that they enhance our educational institutions both financially and culturally.

The recent announcement of the new Graduate route demonstrates that the UK is globally focussed and our commitment to attracting the brightest and best talent from around the world to study and work in the UK.

The UK already has an excellent and competitive visa offer for international students wanting to study at our world-class institutions and the introduction of the Graduate route is aimed at enhancing this by providing greater opportunities for talented international students who will be able to remain in the UK for two years to work once they have successfully completed their studies.

The number of university-sponsored Tier 4 student visa applications increased by 11% in the year ending June 2019, and is at its highest recorded level.