IoD chief bemoans “economics of the madhouse” on migration figures

CONTINUING to include international students in net migration figures risks damaging British business and British universities, according to West Midlands Institute of Directors chairman John Rider.

Rider, a businessman who also knows the university sector well, threw his full support behind concerns raised by IoD director general Simon Walker as he gave evidence to the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee.

Walker told the committee that countries around the world are competing to attract these students while in Britain the Government is seeking to limit numbers in order to meet net migration targets.

“Four-fifths of international students are in the country for only five years – they should not be the focus of the Government’s immigration policy and need to be removed from the net migration statistics,” he said.

Rider added: “Once again the Government is shooting itself in the foot.

“The reputation and quality of our universities helps to draw the brightest and best brains from all around the world yet some universities have been reporting demand down 40 per cent.

“Do we really want to cut links with tomorrow’s leaders in the fastest growing economies in the world? We should remove students from migration figures – they are temporary residents – just as we do with tourists.

“It seems like the economics of the madhouse to do otherwise.”