Staff Reporter
The UK minister responsible for visas and immigration has encouraged the Pakistani students to choose the United Kingdom as a place to study.
In a message on the eve of International Students Day (Nov 17) Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster made it clear the UK was open to students.
He also highlighted visa flexibility around Covid-19, as well as the new Student Route, as reasons to continue choosing the UK for studies.
“Last year, over 5,000 students from Pakistan were granted a UK student visa – a 20% increase on the previous year. In addition, 93% of Pakistani students were successful in receiving a student visa – showing that the vast majority of UK student visa applicants are granted,” Kevin Foster in the message.
In addition, the UK’s new Student Route promises to make it even more streamlined and convenient for Pakistani students, with benefits such as applying up to six months in advance, and additional opportunities to extend student visas from inside the UK, the message further emphasized.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK was among the first countries to introduce visa flexibility for students, including permitting remote study for the whole 2020-21 academic year and replacing thousands of expired visas free of charge so Pakistani students could still travel.
In the summer of 2021, the UK will be introducing the Graduate Route, a new post-study work visa that will allow eligible students two years (or three years for PHD students) to stay back after they graduate to work, or look for work in the UK.
Pakistani students have always been a huge part of our community – and we look forward to welcoming more to our world leading Universities, he said adding, the UK government wanted the best and the brightest to study in the UK, which is why we have made it easier to apply.
“The UK will always value and welcome international students, and whether now or in the future, we want Pakistani students to choose the UK as the place to fulifl their potential.”
In his message, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mike Nithavrianakis, noted last year, over 5,000 Pakistani students were successfully granted a visa – a 20% increase on the previous year. This is a testament to the strengthening links between the UK and Pakistan.
“But, more than that, each successful visa means another student heading to the UK, to build their career, expand their horizons and find out more about all that the UK has to offer.
We hope that this continues, and that many more students from Pakistan follow their compatriots on this journey.”
