Britain changes its Draconian anti-student law after suffering a huge drop in the number of foreign pupils

BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson has reversed one of the immigration policies of his predecessor Mrs May announcing a return of the two-year post-study work visa for international students.

Among the countries with the highest number of students in higher education across the UK, Nigeria has over 17,000 undergraduate and post-graduate in its tertiary institutions. Ranking among the top 10 sources of students alongside China, India, Malaysia, USA, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Canada, there are more Nigerian students in the UK than from any European nation.

In the past, Nigerian students have been allowed to work for a brief while after completing their studies but Mrs May introduced Draconian legislation forcing them to return home immediately. Currently, most international students reading bachelor’s and master’s degrees can stay and work for a maximum of four months only.

In 2012 the home secretary Theresa May, abolished the two-year post-study work visa programme saying that it had made Britain an attractive place for international students and was too generous. her move backfired, however, as it led to a sharp drop in students going to study in Britain.

With the measure being revised, a new immigration route will be available to international students who have successfully completed a course in any subject at undergraduate level or higher level at a higher education provider which has a proven track record in upholding immigration checks and other rules on studying in the UK. It will enable eligible students to work or look for work, at any skill level for two years after they graduate before needing to convert to another visa or having to leave the country.