Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy not to classify overseas students as immigrants.

The UK welcomes the brightest and best to study in our country. There is no cap on the number of non-EU students who can study at our world-class institutions. The UK has an excellent offer for international students, and as a result remains the second most popular destination for international higher education students. The latest figures show that in the year ending September 2014 there was a 4% increase (to 179,390) of full time non-EU new entrants to UK Higher Education Providers.

Published Home Office immigration statistics record data on all people coming to the UK or remaining here who are subject to immigration control. This includes all non-EU students. All migrants who are in the UK for 12 months or more have an impact on our communities, infrastructure and public services.

International students are also included in net migration statistics that are produced by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). In line with the internationally agreed UN definition, these statistics define a migrant as someone changing their normal place of residence for more than a year. Students are therefore included in the same way as other migrants. Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also include students in their net migration figures.

The ONS estimates that in 2014, 135,000 non-EU students came to Britain to stay for more than 12 months, but only 44,000 left the UK. This is a difference of 91,000. Several thousand of those who stayed have switched into skilled work, and we welcome the skills that they bring. However, many more over stay and do not leave when they should and is an important component of net migration. The Government is considering what further measures may be appropriate to address this issue.