RAPID RESPONSES
Pay up and leave
[Re: Hysteria over student visas is damaging Britain’s future growth, Wednesday]
I’m from Singapore and chose to study in the UK because I’m interested in the car industry, where the UK is well-established. But I’m rejected by work placements because my visa doesn’t allow me to take a year off to work. I’m frustrated by this inflexibility. I’m not an illegal immigrant, I pay more than £13,000 each year in school fees and I’m contributing to the economy. We pay fees, schools make money, and we are told to get out as soon as we graduate. Most of us international students are extremely mobile and, if the UK bars us from opportunities, we will stop coming. I’m so discouraged by recent immigration policies that I would rather go back to Asia, where opportunities aren’t only abundant but also available. I urge the UK to rethink its policies.
James Wong