THE UK Government made a big mistake when it decided in 2012 to scrap the visa system that allowed foreign students to stay on and look for work for two years after the end of their course.
In Scotland in particular, there is a need to retain skilled people after they complete their education or training and scrapping the post study work visa looked like a victory of anti-migrant ideology over the realities of a modern economy that actively needs immigration to thrive and improve.
The good news is that, four years on, it appears that the Government is having second thoughts on the issue and is considering the reintroduction of the scheme in some form. A two-year pilot scheme has been announced under which students at four universities will be allowed to stay in the UK for up to six months after graduation to look for work. It is a welcome first sign of a possible rethink.
The problem is that none of the four universities chosen to take part is in Scotland, a decision which the Government has defended on the basis that the four institutions in the pilot scheme have the lowest level of visa refusals.
However, there are obvious risks with the decision, not least the danger that the promise of a six-month stay could draw overseas students away from Scotland to English institutions.
The UK Government has also refused to publish the data which it says supports its claim that the four universities in the pilot have the lowest levels of visa refusals, although it has said Scotland may be included after the current pilot ends in 2018.
That is not good enough. Not only should the Government publish all the information it is withholding, it should also acknowledge how successful schemes such as the Fresh Talent initiative have been in the past. It should also recognise the widespread support that exists for the post study work visa in Scotland and press on with reintroducing it as soon as possible.
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