Keir Starmer launches new immigration crackdown with tax on thousands

Wales Online

13-05-2025

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Thousands could face a controversial tax and tighter visa restrictions under a new immigration white paper launched by Sir Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister's proposals were unveiled as part of Labour's bold bid to curb rising migration figures.
They include a plan to force overseas graduates to leave the UK within 18 months unless they land a skilled job - instead of the current two-year post-study period, The Express reports.
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Universities also face a six per cent levy slapped on each foreign student's tuition fee, which would be the first tax of its kind on international learners.
The Home Office published the white paper, which outlines a sweeping shake-up of the current system.
According to early estimates from Universities UK, the financial impact of the levy could cost universities around £600 million.
The plan could "jeopardise" the financial future of Britain's higher education system, senior university figures have warned.
It's thought courses like medicine and dentistry, which are already costly to run, could be hit the worst as they are often heavily subsidised by income from international students, meaning any drop in funding could pose serious risks.
However, the government has insisted that proceeds from the levy would be reinvested to boost opportunities for British students.
According to early projections, the plan could lead to 7,000 fewer student visa applications each year and 12,000 fewer graduate visa applications annually.
Concerns have also been raised over quality, with officials noting that while student visa numbers jumped 49 per cent between 2021 and 2023, visas for top 100-ranked UK universities actually dropped by seven per cent in the same period.
International students brought in £10 billion to the UK economy through tuition fees alone in 2023-24.
Fees for non-EU students can range from £20,000 to more than £41,000 per year, while EU students pay between £9,600 and £14,000, depending on course type.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, warned that, for instance, a course like veterinary medicine costs around £20,000 per student, with nearly half funded by international student fees.
She said: "We'd like the government to explain to us how it will make it easier for us to provide opportunities for UK students to do those high-cost subjects if they're taking some of that cost."