A bipartisan bill containing “critical” reforms for international and undocumented students in the US has been praised by a leading stakeholder.

Democratic representative Veronica Escobar and Republican representative María Elvira Salazar introduced the Dignity Act of 2023 bill in Congress on May 23.

The bill is comprehensive in its efforts to modernise immigration law and “enable undocumented students, DACA recipients, and TPS holders, to flourish as full participants and contributors to communities and our nation”.

“I have seen the toll our broken immigration system has on federal personnel, local representatives, nonprofits, and the migrants themselves, and the need for a realistic, common-sense compromise could not be more urgent,” said Escobar.

For international students, the guest visa reform that’s included in the bill would result in a change to allow for dual intent – making it easier for international students to stay in the US after graduation.

“The legislation also modernises immigration law for international students by surging resources for visa services… and improving the green card system for applicants and their families,” Miriam Feldblum, executive director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration said.

“[It] fixes outdated immigration provisions that limited the ability of our higher education institutions and businesses to support international students through pathways to stay and work in this country,” she continued.

The sector has long called for the removal of dual intent to allow prospective students to “communicate an interest” in staying in the US after completing their degrees during their consular screening of when entering the country.

The new bill also looks to eliminate the crippling immigration visa backlog, which has also plagued the processing times for F-1 visas in the last two years.

Decades of poorly addressing our immigration system, actively shrinking legal pathways, and failing to get beyond paralyzing gridlock have created a humanitarian crisis.

The Dignity Act of 2023 addresses this complex issue in a way that preserves our country’s values. pic.twitter.com/8NoLYO41us

— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) May 23, 2023

A similar bill, which looked to introduce dual intent for international students as part of its reforms, was introduced by Democratic representatives, senator Bob Menendez and congresswoman Linda Sanchez.

However, due to the lack of bipartisan support from the bill, it died on the house floor after the 117th Congress ended in January 2023.

[It] fixes outdated immigration provisions that limited the ability of our HEIs”

The new bill is supported by both a Republican and Democrat congresswomen – also both Latina – and as such, may have a fighting chance in the new session.

It comes after numerous calls for more stringent immigration in the US from conservatives – on May 11, House Republicans passed a bill that would effectively enact a “ban on asylum” – but it is not expected to be picked up in the Senate.

Despite failure on 2021’s immigration act, Salazar called the Dignity Act “new and improved”.

However, parts of the bill that don’t include international student reforms are not supported by the Presidents’ Alliance, Feldblum stressed, and questions “remain about the legislative path forward”.

“[However], the legislative package unveiled [May 23] represents a serious and substantive effort at forging a long overdue compromise and displays a commitment to reform worth applauding,” Feldblum added.

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Canada has announced youth mobility arrangements with both South Korea and Finland that the government says will provide reciprocal opportunities for young people to work and travel in one another’s country.

Participants from Canada, Finland and South Korea will be able to join the International Experience Canada program or the Finnish or South Korean equivalent programs. The two agreements are expected to come into force in 2024.

While improving labour market access, the deals will also build on the countries’ people-to-people ties while, according to leaders.

On May 23, minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in Canada Sean Fraser said the government is continuing to “support and create” reciprocal arrangements for Canadian and international youth overseas.

“Canadian and South Korean youth will have more opportunities to live, travel and work abroad for longer than ever before, and Canadian employers will have a bigger talent pool to find the workers they need,” he said. Days prior to this he highlighted that the program with Finland will have the similar benefits.

“Canada is one of Korea’s closest partners because of the two countries’ shared values and interests,” Park Jin, Korea’s minister of Foreign Affairs, said, describing the program as a “remarkable milestone”.

“I am hopeful that it will give future generations who will lead Korea–Canada relations for the next 60 years the opportunity to directly experience and gain a better understanding of each other’s country.”

The same categories are available under the agreement with Finland, and participants will be able join for up to 12 months per category.

Finnish minister of Employment, Tuula Haatainen, agreed that the plan will deepen ties “between our already close countries”.

“The youth of both Finland and Canada will have even more opportunities”

“The youth of both Finland and Canada will have even more opportunities to travel, work abroad and learn of each other’s cultures in the future,” Haatainen said.

The agreements come shortly after IRCC minister Sean Fraser met with Alfred N. Mutua, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affair on May 18. The pair discussed “the tremendous economic, cultural and social benefits that Kenyans bring when they choose to immigrate to Canada”.

Universities Canada said the youth mobility agreements with the two countries complement the outbound Global Skills Opportunity pilot, funded through Employment and Social Development Canada and administered by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada.

The GSO, launched in 2021, has “funded nearly 5,000 mobility opportunities to date, with plans to engage thousands more students before the end of the pilot in 2025”, Graham Barber, assistant director, international relations for Universities Canada, said.

“GSO students have already been traveling to South Korea and Finland, but they can now access these youth mobility agreements in addition to the GSO funding to travel abroad and return with skills and connections in other countries, building people-to-people ties and bolstering trade and collaboration across borders.”

The organisation also encourages the Canadian government to implement new opportunities though similar agreements, particularly with partners across Asia.

“The Canada in Asia conference, co-organised by Universities Canada and the Asia Pacific Foundation, opened opportunities for Canadian students in the ASEAN region, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and we encourage the federal government to sign agreements with these regional partners,” Barber added.

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Campus France launched its first France Alumni Day, celebrating diversity and talent among international alumni and the unique values of a French higher education.

From May 13-28, over 170 events have been planned across five continents, including at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris on May 23, with Olivier Becht, minister in charge of foreign trade, attractiveness and French nationals abroad in attendance.

“You are, in your diversity, one of the faces of French academic excellence,” Becht said. He addressed some 300 delegates, including alumni, who the minister thanked for choosing France as a study destination, and highlighted that the country wishes to remain present at their side throughout their careers.

“The community of former international students in France is a symbol of excellence and internationalisation of higher education,” said Becht.

Becht noted that in 2022, France welcomed record numbers of international students, over 400,000, ranking it seventh in the countries welcoming the most international students.

The global celebrations aim to bring alumni together and highlight the strength of the France Alumni network, which was launched in 2014 and now brings together more than 372,000 members worldwide.

The network allows international alumni in France to stay connected with their peers and with France.

Alumni at the event spoke of fostering a “unique and lasting bond” between one generation of alumni to the next and shared personal stories of triumph during their time in France.

At the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs last night, it was an immense honour (and a true milestone) to address an audience in French on the importance and value of international mobility. And a pleasure, as always, to see @MinColonna.

Merci @CampusFrance ! pic.twitter.com/HskGHAdFMX

— Archippus Sturrock (@Archie_Sturrock) May 24, 2023

Archippus Sturrock, originally from the UK and alumnus of the University of London in Paris, spoke about the equality, diversity and inclusion aspects of an international experience in France.

“When we travel, we discover diversity,” he said, adding that it was during his studies in Paris that he found the courage to come out.

“France is freedom in a lot ways,” said Kaiwei Wang, alumnus of École Nationale Superieure de chimie de Montpellier, and originally from China.

“The perception of what is valuable and what is essential for one’s career and one’s life is so different compared to China,” he told The PIE.

“You are, in your diversity, one of the faces of French academic excellence”

The France Alumni network platform has also enabled 3,200 partnerships with French and foreign companies and institutions since launching.

France is the internship capital of the world, said Christopher Cripps, senior advisor for global engagement and diplomatic affairs, Sorbonne University.

“France is very in line with what employers need because higher education institutions work very closely in various ways with employers to make sure that their pedagogy and curriculum is in tune to what the market needs,” said Cripps, who came to France as an international student from the US and “never left”.

“For me, that’s always been part of the uniqueness of French higher education, is making sure that students are trained to produce for their employer at a very high level immediately upon graduation,” he told The PIE.

Soalandy Randrianjafy, originally from Madagascar, a student at the Engineering Faculty of Life Sciences at the Institut Nationale Polytechnique de Toulouse told The PIE how she too appreciates the French higher education system’s proximity with the business world.

“I will finish my studies in March 2024 but I already have more than one year of professional experience on my CV including two long internships in top-tier companies in my field. This experience, facilitated by my engineering school through the gap year system, will make it easier for me to get my first long contracts after my graduation.”

Cripps added that he appreciates how France defends and propagates French culture and French language.

“We have a lot to offer in English in France from business schools, engineering schools and universities but at the same time, this is France. French is a language spoken by 350 million people around the world and French education is deeply rooted in history and culture and there are disciplines that you just don’t come to study in English in France.”

“France is very much a centralised country,” said Julien Frémont, deputy director of international relations, University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne.

“What we offer in our higher education institutions, private or public, is validated by the central and French ministry.

“It means that the offer you have in Toulouse or in Nantes, or in Bordeaux or in Paris for example will be the same one wherever you are. So this is important to know that the degree you get has the same value as it would elsewhere in France. That’s one of the best things ever I would say for any students in the world.”

Delegates heard from esteemed guest of honours who too proudly call themselves alumni of a French education, including professor of paediatrics and former health minister of Rwanda, Agnes Binagwaho.

“Mix nationalities, mix knowledge, progress together, do research together. We are always better when we seek solutions from various sides to improve this life on earth,” said Binagwaho, who studied at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale.

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Nearly half (44%) of international students accepted to universities in Quebec were refused a study permit in 2021, according to analysis by The Institut du Quebec. 

The Canadian think-tank found that one of the main reasons for rejection was a belief that the student may not return to their home country after study, despite efforts by the government to encourage overseas students to stay and work in Quebec after graduating. 

“These criteria no longer have their raison d’etre and denote a certain inconsistency in a context where efforts are being made by both levels of government to encourage foreign graduates to settle in Quebec,” said Daye Dallio, senior economist at the IDQ. 

Quebec has also experienced higher refusal rates than other regions. The IDQ blamed this on the greater number of African applicants, who are more likely to be rejected by IRCC. In 2021, 72% of applications made by students of African origin were refused study permits.

Representatives from the international education sector have previously called on the government to address the high visa refusal rate among African students.

Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada, told a parliamentary committee in 2022 that this is an “urgent challenge we need to address”. 

The IDQ said in a statement that the situation could affect the attractiveness of the province, particularly among French-speaking students. 

The number of international students in Quebec has more than doubled over the past decade and more of these students stay and work after graduating, in part due to the Quebec Experience Program which provides a route to permanent residency. 

The number of post-graduation work permit holders tripled between 2015 and 2022, from 9,825 to 31,915. The number of new permanent residents who graduated from a Canadian institution also tripled during this period, from 3,690 to 11,290. 

“The integration of immigrants into the labour market has greatly improved in recent years”

“In Quebec, the integration of immigrants into the labour market has greatly improved in recent years,” said Emna Braham, executive director of the IDQ. 

But the IDQ found the process of obtaining permanent residency is slow due to the work requirements, with graduates needed 12 to 18 months experience, and longer processing times by IRCC for applicants to Quebec, compared to other regions. 

The think tank called on the Quebec and federal governments to increase access to study permits for students chosen by the region’s institutions as well as accelerating access to permanent residence for graduates of those institutions. 

IRCC has been contacted for comment.

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Non-EU international students have driven a rise in emigration out of the UK while the number of students bringing dependants doubled in 2022, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics.

The UK saw a sharp rise in the number of students arriving in 2021 after lockdown restrictions were lifted, but the latest analysis suggests they are beginning to leave.

Some 153,000 people who initially arrived on study-related visas departed the country in 2022, an increase from 61,000 in 2021.

In its report, the ONS said, “With the increase in immigration of those on study-related visas in the last two years, we are now seeing an increase in emigration as those students come to the end of their studies.” 

Jay Lindop, director of the Centre for International Migration at the Office for National Statistics, said there were signs that the “underlying drivers” of high migration levels are changing.

Students made up a smaller overall share of non-EU immigrants to the UK in 2022, with 39% of people arriving for study related reasons, down from 47% in 2021. In contrast, there was a rise in people arriving on humanitarian routes. 

In 2022, 361,000 people came to the UK on study-related visas, an increase from 301,000 in 2021. This rise is mainly attributed to more students bringing family members with them.

The number of dependants increased from 41,000 in 2021 to 85,000 in 2022, driven by an increase in the number of students from Nigeria and India, who are more likely to bring dependants with them, according to earlier government statistics. 

The Home Office has previously published data showing 22% of all sponsored study related visas granted were to dependants of students (135,788) in 2022. This figure includes short term study visas, unlike ONS data which looks at long-term migration (12 months or more). 

Earlier this week, the UK government announced that most students will be banned from bringing dependants with them from January 2024. Only those on postgraduate research courses will be eligible to bring their spouse and children with them.

“It isn’t right that universities in some cases are in the immigration business”

Speaking on ITV, prime minister Rishi Sunak said the number of dependants had “absolutely spiralled” over the past few years and the measure was “pretty much the biggest thing that anyone’s ever announced to bring the levels of migration down”. 

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the measures would have a “tangible effect” on “considerable” dependant numbers.

“It isn’t right that universities in some cases are in the immigration business rather than the teaching and education one,” he said. “We are clamping down on those practices and that will help us to bring down net migration in the medium term.”

The overall UK population increased by 606,000 in 2022, mainly due to immigration by non-EU nationals. Net migration from the EU was negative. Over a quarter of people coming from the EU were in the UK for study reasons. 

There have long been calls to exclude students from net migration figures due to the benefits they bring to the country. 

Writing on Twitter, conservative MP Alicia Kearns said, “We should hesitate from knee-jerk reactions on migration. Students shouldn’t be included in net migration figures. The soft power dividends as [an] academic superpower are significant.”

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There was “dramatic growth” in the number of partnerships between US higher education institutions and education agencies in 2022, new research has identified.

The landmark American International Recruitment Council and BONARD report, conducted with the support of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the Association of International Education Administrators, was based on surveys of more than 300 HEIs and educational agencies between July and October 2022. The schools represent 118,000 international students studying in the US.

There was “dramatic growth in the number of institutions working with agencies”, according to Patrik Pavlacic, chief intelligence officer at BONARD, who served as the principal investigator for the research project.

“This is a sector-wide shift, and it will be interesting to monitor the situation in the immediate future, as the sector moves on from the pandemic crisis and study destinations globally compete aggressively for student recruitment,” Pavlacic continued.

While survey data from 2021 indicated approximately half (49%) of US HEIs partnered with agencies, the new statistics are closer to two-thirds (62%). And all but 2% of institutions not currently working with agencies are strongly considering incorporating partnerships into their international recruitment strategy.

According to the survey, when educational agencies vet potential partners, their top two attributes are academic programs and tuition fees, both of which outweighed university rankings.

Findings indicated that 29% of educational agencies do not have enough partners in the US to meet the demand, signalling potential for future collaboration.

Several other key findings emerged from the data. While enrolment numbers are not yet on par with pre-pandemic figures, they have increased over last year and responding institutions expressed optimism about exceeding pre-pandemic figures this year.

Regarding which university office is responsible for international student recruitment, the majority of respondents (54%) indicated it was the admissions department. However, for 21% recruitment is managed by the global education office and 9% have a unique department dedicated to it.

As far as most utilised method of recruitment events are concerned, virtual and in-person student fairs were close at 93% for virtual and 90% for in-person.

“One-third of institutions rely on a third party for the management of digital campaign”

Digital marketing is utilised by 85% of HEIs and is the most frequently outsourced recruitment channel.

“One-third of institutions rely on a third party for the management of digital campaigns while having in-country representation is utilised by 30% of institutions,” the report said.

The top barriers to student recruitment are the cost of studying and living in the US (65%) and challenges of securing a visa (53%), scholarship scarcity (27%), the perception of the US (24%), lack of promotional material (20%), and safety (16%).

AIRC executive director Brian Whalen, who this week features in The PIE Chat, spoke about the report, stating, “[It] reflects the continued growth, development, and professionalisation of the international enrolment management field.”

Whalen told The PIE that the data can help HEIs, recruitment agencies, service providers, and other stakeholders to “assess and improve their recruitment and enrolment management plans and operations.”

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Industry stakeholders are warning that the impact UK dependent ban for taught masters students will potentially disadvantage female students most.

Full details of the planned policy change, to be implemented from January 2024, are yet to be revealed as the official statement of changes has not yet been published.

Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, responded to the announcement, highlighting the concerns, saying, “While the vast majority of students will be unaffected by proposals that limit the ability to be accompanied by dependents, more information is needed on the programs that are in scope before a proper assessment of the impact can be made.

“We do know that any changes are likely to have a disproportionate impact on women and students from certain countries.”

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think-tank, also voiced his concerns on social media, indicating that he had seen unpublished figures suggesting as many as 69% of students who bring dependants to the UK were women.

Hillman tweeted, saying, “There’s a gender angle to the new announcement on international students, which is likely to get missed. A large majority of the international students who bring dependants to the UK are women.”

In the past year, The PIE News has reported on the increase in dependant visa applications connected to the student route visa, with Nigeria being identified as the largest source market for family-orientated applications.

The introduction of the graduate route visa, along with a deliberate UK higher education strategy to attract and retain graduate talent from Commonwealth countries, has driven demand from mature applicants seeking career opportunities in sectors such as healthcare.

“This policy will be detrimental to all, but especially women”

Rebecca Fielding, founder of immigration consultants Grad Consult, also joined the debate on social media, saying “female international students [will be] much less likely to travel if they have children. This policy will be detrimental to all, but especially women.”

Mature, female applicants, particularly from Muslim countries are highly likely to have family responsibilities.

Dependants are currently classified as a spouse, partner or child, but not extended family members such as siblings or parents.

UKCISA provides detailed advice for students currently looking to bring dependants with them when studying in the UK. It details the essential financial requirements involved in an application, including proof of maintenance funds, health surcharge and rights to work.

Policy officer for UKCISA, Iona Murdoch, expressed her personal frustration on Twitter, saying “No words properly express how I feel about this policy.

“It is going to seriously affect the opportunities for women”

“Not only is it a knee jerk reaction to current data that hasn’t settled and a lack of forecasting, it is also going to seriously affect the opportunities for women to come to this supposedly welcoming country and study.”

William Burns, regional manager at Loughborough University, also spoke to The PIE to highlight the impact for sponsored students from GCC countries.

“The UK government must consider exemptions for fully sponsored students coming to the UK for masters study,” said Burns. “While not impossible, it is difficult to imagine female masters students from Saudi Arabia coming to the UK without their spouses. And so their freedom to study here would be heavily restricted almost immediately.”

Saudi Arabia provides the largest source of fully sponsored students to the UK from the Middle East, with many enrolling at the UK’s top universities. It is common for GCC governments to provide full maintenance stipends for spouses of students studying abroad.

Saudi Arabia is heavily investing in educational opportunities for women as part of its Vision 2030 economic planning with the aim of driving female participation in the jobs market to 30%.

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IH Sydney has opened its seventh campus in Australia with a new centre in Adelaide.

The school offers a “modern, interactive learning environment” in the downtown area of the city in South Australia. The provider noted Adelaide’s renown for its cultural vibrance, affordability and abundance of natural beauty.

“After getting such great response to our new Gold Coast and Byron Bay campuses, we wanted to continue into South Australia,” said CEO and owner of IH Sydney, Tim Eckenfels.

Eckenfels has led IH Sydney from a one-campus concern to its seven-centre operation.

“Our reach is global, but our culture and approach are friendly and personal. That is why people travel from around the world to get the best of both worlds,” he added. It offers courses on English language, English-language teaching and targeted qualifications in business, management and marketing.

“If you haven’t been to Adelaide, you need to go. It has a European feel with an Aussie vibe,” he added.

“There’s always something going on in Adelaide”

“There’s always something going on in Adelaide, from its festivals – including the famous fringe festival – to a food and wine culture that embraces half of Australia’s wineries!”

IH Sydney has seen “huge growth” from focusing on language provision to expand to vocational, career-focused courses including digital marketing and business, the company added.

The ELICOS sector was badly hit by border closures as a result of the pandemic, with the economy AUS$2.7bn worse off because of ELICOS losses.

EC English pulled out of its Australian operations, while BROWNS English was acquired by professional services training specialist Monarch Institute.

The 79,362 ELICOS enrolments and 73,429 commencements in 2022 were increases of 90% and 155%, respectively, on 2021 figures, Austrade data from last year showed.

Although ELICOS remained significantly down on the 156,478 enrolment and 117,293 commencement highs in 2019, English Australia noted the “remarkable recovery” in 2022 gives the organisation “great hopes” for the year ahead.

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