The UK Government has turned a deaf ear to Scotland’s demands for a more flexible immigration system for international students, says an SNP MP.
The Tories have rejected calls to bring back the post-study work visa scheme, which was dropped in 2012, saying it “damaged the reputation of our education system”.
Immigration minister Robert Goodwill also appeared to snuff out the chance of some immigration powers being devolved to Holyrood by dismissing the prospect of different rules for certain parts of the UK.
He was responding to a report from the Scottish Affairs Committee that concluded the removal of the post-study scheme had made Scotland a less attractive place to study.
Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart, committee chair, said: “Despite the almost universal support for improving post-study work schemes in Scotland, we are still to see these factors have any influence on the direction of policy.”
He added the UK Government must respond to calls from universities and employers who want to see those who study in Scotland to be allowed to stay and contribute to the economy.
Mr Goodwill said the four current visa categories available to non- European Economic Area (EEA) graduates of UK universities “comprise an excellent post-study work offer”.
“Applying different immigration rules to different parts of the UK would complicate the immigration system, harming its integrity, and cause difficulties for employers with a presence in more than one part of the UK,” the response concluded.