Fri, 15 Feb 2013

A spokesperson for Number 10 Downing Street has played down suggestions that Prime Minister David Cameron would use his trade visit to India to encourage Indian students to come to the UK for study and work.

Ahead of a trade visit to the Asian nation next week, a number of media outlets in both the UK and India reported comments made by Cameron that there was “no limit” on the number of people coming from outside the UK to study, with those graduates who go on to earn £20k or more in a graduate-level role being permitted to stay.

Cameron was reported as saying that the government “haven’t perhaps communicated this [the lack of a limit] properly”, adding that the two countries could have “an amazing future if we team up”.

However, the Number 10 spokesperson tells Recruiter there has been no change in policy, adding: “That’s not the purpose of the visit” – increasing trade is the priority.

Last month, recruiter.co.uk reported that the UK government might be considering a campaign to detract workers from Bulgaria and Romania from coming to the UK when restrictions on freedom of movement are lifted in 2014.