New visa regulations could force at least 20,000 Chinese students out of UK

BEIJING - As many as 20,000 Chinese students could reportedly be forced to leave Britain if the new visa policies are implemented next year.

The UK’s Home Office is expected to tighten its visa regulations for international students to reduce the country’s annual net migration and cope with the high domestic unemployment.

According to the China Daily, about 20,000 Chinese students are taking language classes or other courses below the bachelor-degree level. About 85,000 Chinese are in Britain on student visas.

The Home Office website said that students represent the largest proportion of net migration from outside Europe.

“There is concern that the UK is attracting students who aren’t always the brightest and the best in recent years. The government wants to ensure that those who enter on a student visa come here to study, not to work or with a view to settling here,” it added.

The implementation of the regulations would see cancellation of the Post Study Work (PSW) policy, which grants foreign graduates of specified courses up to two years of free access to the labour market. (ANI)