Responding to the Migration Advisory Committee’s report published today, Richard Brown, Research Director at Centre for London said:

“Nearly 30 per cent of London’s students are from overseas, so the Committee is right to recognise the importance of the higher education sector, which contributes £5 billion to London’s economy every year.

“But the Committee’s conclusion on post-study work visas is disappointing. After Brexit, EU students will be required to apply for a Tier 2 visa if they want to stay on to work, as do non-EU students today. These bureaucratic hurdles will make it difficult for students to stay on to work for smaller companies, or in the 750,000 jobs in London that are held by European nationals.

“At a time of record high employment and slowing migration, preventing highly-skilled young people from staying in London is a missed opportunity.”

Notes:

• Our Open City report recommended that a new poststudy visa should be introduced in London to enable graduates to stay on to work.