Most Britons don't want non-EU students: poll

Results of the poll conducted by YouGov and Migration Watch UK were released as a task force formed to help Indian and other non-EU students affected by the recent revocation of London Metropolitan University's licence began functioning today.

The university's licence to admit and teach non-EU students was revoked by the UK Border Agency on August 29 due to 'systemic and serious failures', throwing academic plans of thousands of current and new students in disarray.

Migration Watch UK said in the poll, a key question asked of respondents explained that about 250,000 foreign students from outside the EU arrive every year to study in Britain.

They pay the full cost of studying and provide universities and colleges with valuable income.

About one in five stay on legally after their studies and become long-term immigrants while others return home but, as there are still no exit checks, the number who have actually left is not known, it said.

Thinking about this, respondents were asked whether there should be a limit on foreign student numbers in British colleges and universities.

According to the results, 70 per cent said that there should be a limit while 22 per cent said there should not and 7 per cent did not know.

Support for a limit was strong across political parties according to respondents' intention to vote, with 70 per cent of Conservatives, 66 per cent of Labour and 57 per cent of Liberal Democrats in favour of a limit.

The strongest support was in Scotland at 76 per cent, while the lowest was in London at 62 per cent.

Women were more likely than men to favour a limit by 74 per cent to 67 per cent, Migration Watch UK said.

There was also strong support for action against bogus students.

70 per cent thought that those found to have insufficient English for their courses should be deported. 84 per cent considered that those found to be working rather than studying should be deported and 87 per cent thought that those who had overstayed their visas after their course had finished should be deported.

There was also very strong support for firmer measures to prevent people coming to the UK as students if their real intention was to work. This was supported by 85 per cent (63 per cent strongly) and opposed by 6 per cent.

Andrew Green, Chairman Migration Watch UK said, "This gives the lie to those who have been claiming that the public are not concerned about student inflows. When the questions are posed in their factual and policy context the public display the firm common sense that one would expect."