Minister hints Tory immigration crackdown on foreign students bringing families could be eased and... (original) (raw)

A minister has hinted that the Tory crackdown on foreign student visas could be eased amid the cash crisis in universities.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested the government wants to 'welcome' more international students.

She also refused to rule out hiking tuition fees, with fears that major institutions could be on the verge of collapse.

Rishi Sunak announced a crackdown on most students bringing dependents as part of efforts to reduce record legal net migration levels. Experts are expecting overall numbers to start coming down, partly as a result.

However, there have been concerns about the impact on universities, which often get huge revenues from those coming from abroad to do courses.

Asked whether more international students could be part of the answer to the problems, Ms Phillipson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'In terms of international students they have an important role to play in our country… they drive opportunities in terms of the contribution to the economy, I've seen it myself in Sunderland...

'Under this Labour government we want to welcome international students to our country, the soft power, the reach they give us around the world as they return home after their studies.'

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested the government wants to 'welcome' more international students

The comments came as Keir Starmer (pictured at the Farnborough Airshow) launched a new body to deal with Britain's 'fragmented and broken' skills training system

Labour supported the curbs on dependants when they were introduced, but has committed to reviewing the system. Home Office sources said the position was unchanged.

The comments came as Keir Starmer launched a new body to deal with Britain's 'fragmented and broken' skills training system.

Asked on a visit to the Farnborough Air Show whether he would reverse restrictions on student dependants, the PM said: 'We understand the pressures of migration and why the previous government took the decisions that it did.

'It has led to some pressures now in relation to higher education, but it is right that we get migration down, because it's too high.'

He said that the Government would seek to address migration levels through Skills England, adding: 'That is not to say that no business should ever be hiring from abroad – that is not realistic, it's not good for business and we don't want to go down that path.

'But for too long that's happened because we haven't had the skills available in this country, and I'm determined to change that.'

Labour pledged to create Skills England in its election manifesto to ensure training provision is aligned with the needs of the economy.

It will bring together central and local government, businesses, trade unions and training providers to better understand the nation's 'skills gap'.

Skills England will also work with the Migration Advisory Committee to reduce reliance on workers from overseas by addressing areas where home-grown skills can be improved.

The PM said: 'Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades.

'They will help to deliver our number one mission as a Government, to kickstart economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent.

'From construction to IT, healthcare to engineering, our success as a country depends on delivering highly skilled workforces for the long-term. Skills England will put in place the framework needed to achieve that goal while reducing our reliance on workers from overseas'.

Ms Phillipson has appointed former Co-Operative Group chief executive Richard Pennycook as interim chairman of Skills England, with the body expected to be established in phases over the next 12 months.

Its first task will be an assessment of future skills needs, and it will later take on the functions of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education once the Skills England Bill, announced in the King's Speech, passes Parliament.

According to the Department for Education, skills shortages doubled between 2017 and 2022, and now account for 36 per cent of job vacancies.

The Government also sees improved training as vital to its aim of growing the economy, arguing that a third of productivity growth over the last two decades has been down to better skills.

Ms Phillipson said: 'Our first mission in government is to grow the economy, and for that we need to harness the talents of all our people to unlock growth and break down the barriers to opportunity.

'The skills system we inherited is fragmented and broken. Employers want to invest in their workers but for too long have been held back from accessing the training they need.

'Skills England will jumpstart young people's careers and galvanise local economies.

'It will bring businesses together with trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges and training providers to give us a complete picture of skills gaps nationwide, boost growth in all corners of the country and give people the opportunity to get on in life.'

A Conservative Party spokesman said: 'We will wait to see Labour's plans in full, but by allowing 50 per cent of the Apprenticeship Levy funds to go to other non-apprenticeship training we may see the number of apprenticeships is reduced by half, leading to fewer opportunities for the next generation.

'We hope Labour will continue the good work of the Conservative government which saw 5.8million more apprenticeships created since 2010 alongside our education reforms which now find our children among the best readers in the western world.'