The UK’s immigration minister is refusing to concede Westminster’s approach to student visas left Scotland poorer, despite Dundee University’s principal saying it “devastated” the sector.
Legal migration minister Seema Malhotra also said it “isn’t clear” why the Scottish graduate visa proposed by First Minister John Swinney would make a difference.
A struggle to recruit international students has cost Dundee University over £12 million.
And interim principal Shane O’Neill told The Courier the previous government’s student visa changes had been “devastating”, with critics of the policy saying they had made it harder to recruit vital fee-paying international students.
Mr Swinney asked the UK Government to work with him on a tailored scheme to take account of Scotland’s migration needs and encourage foreign learners to remain in the country.
‘No plans’ for bespoke Scottish student visa
He said it could help encourage those looking to study abroad to choose Dundee over an institution elsewhere in the world.
But the plan was quickly ruled out by the Labour government, who says it has “no plans” for a bespoke Scottish system.
Quizzed on why the UK Government is opposed, given its focus on growth, Ms Malhotra said: “It isn’t clear why that would make a difference when you’ve got the UK-wide graduate scheme that is open to all students.”
She added: “We do need an immigration system that works for the whole of the UK.
“We’ve got to make sure that its got a stronger voice from different parts of the UK.”
But Ms Malhotra said the benefit of the current country-wide system was students could move around more widely.
The previous government introduced a ban on master’s students from bringing dependents to the UK.
Current system skewed towards London
And the university sector says the salary demands for a skilled worker visa, which international students have to apply for to remain in the UK after their studies, is skewed toward London and the southeast of England.
Ms Malhotra refused to concede this approach had made Scotland poorer.
She added: “I think it’s important to look at all these issues in the round because we recognise the contribution that international students make to our economy, to our education institutions, to our society as well.
“There are other issues as well at play. It’s important that the work that’s going on with the education secretary and looking at how we’re working together between the UK government and Scottish Government, and indeed all of our regions and nations, as part of an important reset in relationships is looking at these issues.”
Visa changes ‘devastating’
Professor Shane O’Neill previously told The Courier universities such as Dundee rely on international students. He added: “The changes in visas have had such a devastating impact on so many institutions.”
The first minister hopes his approach – which would require graduates to live and work in Scotland – would also help tackle population challenges.
Universities Scotland, which represents higher education institutions, said: “We see scope to tweak the current visa offer to address the fact that the salary threshold for the skilled worker visa is skewed by higher salaries in London and southeast England.
Scottish universities ‘undermined’ by Westminster
“A visa that allowed graduates more time in Scotland to progress their careers would take account of regional difference and meet strategic objectives for Scotland’s prosperity within the UK.”
Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP Stephen Gethins said the Scottish university sector had been “undermined” by successive UK governments.
He said: “These comments from a Labour Minister underline yet again the damage that is being done to the sector in Scotland.
“Labour and the Tories both promised more powers so that we could have local solutions, again this has been kiboshed by both governments who put centralisation of this policy above jobs and investment.”
Conversation