UK Plans Yearly English Tests for Migrant Graduates

The UK is to introduce mandatory English tests for migrant graduates amid the immigration crackdown.

In an attempt to control immigration and guarantee that only the “best and brightest” stay in the nation, the UK government is getting ready to make yearly English proficiency exams for migrant graduates under the updated Graduate Route program. 

The Cabinet is expected to approve changes that also target universities and colleges with high dropout rates, restricting their ability to recruit international students.

Other UK Immigrant Control Issues

Additionally, the Home Office will investigate recruiting agencies that are seen to be pressuring international students into low-paying positions.

Concerns that certain recruiting methods exploit students by paying them less than the minimum wage have prompted this action.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposals to forbid British institutions from providing “low quality” postgraduate courses to international students have led to the tightening of the Graduate Route.

More and more people see these courses as a way to enter the UK rather than as a means of advancing their academic careers.

Net immigration levels are still far higher than the goals established during the 2019 election, when the Conservative administration promised to lower these figures, even if they have recently declined from record highs.

The government is concerned about the calibre of employment these students land because 41% of those on graduate visas make less than £15,000, according to HM Revenue and Customs.

The proposed policy changes have sparked controversy, as colleges that primarily rely on the higher tuition paid by international students as well as members of the Cabinet are anticipated to oppose them.

Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, has maintained that recent changes to immigration laws have essentially decreased the number; he said the government would ‘continue to support sustainable increases in international students coming to the UK’.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan also voiced concerns, highlighting the necessity for a balanced approach to educational programs and specifically restricting access to lower-tier postgraduate degrees.

Notwithstanding these differences, a Downing Street spokesman reaffirmed the PM’s resolve to improve the Graduate Route to draw exceptionally skilled students to the UK’s best universities while also preventing abuse of the immigration system.

A new assessment from the Migration Advisory Committee, which found no conclusive evidence of systemic abuse, supports this position.