International students annually contribute over £5.3bn to UK economy

 International students annually bring over £5.3bn to the UK economy, Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat McFadden has asserted, adding they also contribute to the academic and cultural life of the educational institutions.

Asserting 'Genuine international students are welcome in the UK’, McFadden has stated: They make a significant contribution to the academic and cultural life of the universities and colleges where they study, and bring over £5.3bn to our economy each year….”

The assertion comes along with the Home Secretary’s announcement that foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come to the UK to study will be required to meet stricter entry criteria.

The new regulations ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK, and that their dependants cannot work here at all.

The Border Agency has added: The UK universities and colleges offer excellent education and the government recognises the essential contribution that genuine international students bring - economically, academically and socially - to the country as a whole, as well as to the universities and colleges in which they study. However, these steps are part of the government's commitment to crack down on potential abuse of the system.

Alan Johnson has already asserted: 'We want foreign students to come here to study, not to work illegally, and we have set out necessary steps which will maintain the robustness of the system we introduced last year. I make no apologies for that.'

Categories: Careers , Immigration , World News