LONDON, July 5, 2025 — A new report from center-right think tank Policy Exchange has reignited the debate over student migration, claiming that international students are increasingly using higher education as a “backdoor” to long-term settlement in the UK.
The report recommends that the graduate visa route — which currently allows overseas students to stay and work in the UK for up to two years after completing their studies — should be restricted solely to postgraduate research students. The current model, it argues, is being exploited and no longer serves its intended purpose.
“Most fundamentally, the purpose of student migration should be to study, not to provide a backdoor route to longer term migration or settlement,” the report states. “Yet increasingly studying in the UK has become a pathway for widespread and sustained immigration.”
The number of international students in the UK has surged by 66% between 2014/15 and 2023/24, according to the report. It also claims that in 2023, 40% of international students switched to a different visa within a year — a sharp rise from just 3% in 2019.
Earlier this year, the Labour Government reduced the graduate visa length from two years to 18 months. This followed the Conservative government’s 2024 ban on most international students bringing dependants, with exceptions for certain postgraduate courses and those on government-funded scholarships. However, the Policy Exchange report argues that these steps do not go far enough and calls for more stringent action to protect the integrity of the student visa system.
Zachary Marsh, research fellow at Policy Exchange and author of the report, said the UK must refocus its higher education sector on academic excellence, not immigration pathways.
“UK universities must return to the business of selling education, not immigration,” Marsh said. “Whilst international students provide economic benefits, too many are exploiting the system with no real interest in studying. The Government must take a firmer stance to restore trust in our immigration policies.”
The report also raises concerns that international students may be limiting opportunities for domestic applicants at some universities and criticizes the high tuition fees and low post-graduation earnings faced by some students.
In response, Russell Group chief executive Tim Bradshaw defended the graduate visa scheme, warning against policies that could damage the UK’s global competitiveness in education.
“In an increasingly competitive global market, the UK must continue to be attractive to international students,” Bradshaw said. “The graduate visa route allows talented graduates to contribute to our economy and society. We must ensure immigration rules are fair and robust, but we must also protect the international reputation of our universities.”
The report will be formally launched at a Policy Exchange event in London on Wednesday, where Shadow Education Minister Neil O’Brien is expected to voice further concerns over the student visa system.
“It’s not just taxpayers who are losing out,” O’Brien is set to say. “The current model is letting down too many students, who are promised opportunities but graduate into low-paid jobs with large debts. We must ensure that places at our universities are reserved for those who are genuinely here to study and meet the standards to succeed.”
A government spokesperson reiterated its commitment to reforming student migration. “We’ve already reduced the graduate visa duration and introduced stricter rules on dependents,” the spokesperson said. “We’re also strengthening requirements for universities around visa compliance, enrolments, and completions — all while ensuring that we continue to welcome international students who support our world-class education sector.”
The government’s ongoing Immigration White Paper outlines further reforms to ensure student migration meets the UK’s workforce needs without opening pathways for abuse.
Written by: LIIE IMMIGRATION
