Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an annual cap on the number of student visas issued.

The government is committed to a United Kingdom that is outward looking and welcomes international students, who make a positive contribution to the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole. Universities in England received an estimated £12.1 billion annually in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supports provision of places for domestic students and research and development.

The department has recently published the Immigration White Paper, which sets out a balanced approach, helping the government achieve our manifesto commitment of reducing net migration while maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting the UK’s skills base. We have also announced a levy on international students’ fees to fund the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for disadvantaged students.

The department is reviewing the International Education Strategy to ensure that it increases the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education organisations and businesses.