Nigerian students in the U.K. and others risk deportation

Nigerians and other immigrant students in the United Kingdom are facing a high risk of deportation after completion of their studies following a new plan by the country’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman.

Currently, those travelling to study in Britain can stay for two years after completing their courses, but Ms Braverman is moving to cut that to just six months, after which they have to have a skilled job that makes them eligible for a work visa or leave the U.K.

However, DailyMail reports that the Department for Education is said to resist Ms Braverman’s plan.

According to the report, the development is the latest twist in a long-running row over foreign student numbers.

Braverman has committed to cut immigration and ‘substantially reduce’ the number of unskilled foreign workers coming to Britain, from 239,000 to the ‘tens of thousands.

As part of that, she wants to reduce the number of international students who can apply for a graduate post-study work visa, which allows any student who has passed their degree to remain and work in the U.K. for at least two years.

But education officials fear this will make the U.K. less attractive to international students, who pay far more than U.K. students for their courses and are a significant source of income for universities.