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Falls in foreign students could damage economy

Falls in net migration could have a negative effect on the economy, after the difference between the number of people coming into the UK, and the number of people leaving, fell from 242,000 to 183,000 year-on-year.

The Office of National Statistics found that the reduction was largely down to a fall in the number of students coming over to Britain, although study is still the most commonly stated reason for migration.

The number of people emigrating out of the country also rose over the last 12 months, with 127,000 people going overseas for a definite job in the year ending March 2012.

ONS called this figure “significantly higher” than the 108,000 who left the previous year. Think tank IPPR voiced concerns over these statistics, and suggested that the falls in foreign student migration would have a significant impact on the UK economy.

Sally Mulley, Associate Director at IPPR, commented: “This fall in net migration has been driven by a significant fall in the number of foreign students coming to the UK.

“Steps to reduce abuse of the student visa system are welcome, but if the Government’s net migration target is to be met, they also need there to be a dramatic fall in the numbers of genuine foreign students. This will come at a significant economic cost.

“The irony is that the impacts on net migration will only be short-lived because most students stay only for a short time. Reduced immigration today means reduced emigration in a year or two’s time, which could see net migration rise again.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .