Contribution of international students

That this House condemns proposals by the Government to further restrict visas for overseas students and their dependents from coming to the UK for study and research; notes with concern that these proposals are likely to disproportionately affect female international students and single-parents who may wish to bring their children; celebrates the contribution that international students bring to the economy and our local communities; further notes that international students provided a net contribution of £37.4 billion to the UK economy as recently as 2021-22 and enrich local communities with their knowledge and experiences; notes with concern that UK universities are already facing difficulties in attracting overseas students and researchers due to the decision to withdraw from the EU’s Horizon and Erasmus+ programmes; and urges the Government to withdraw its proposals to restrict visas for overseas students and to engage constructively with the university and higher education sector to help them address the challenges they face.