James Cleverly made the announcement in the Daily Mail, where he outlined his wider plans to crack down on immigration, including “a comprehensive and tough package which means around 300,000 people eligible to come to the UK last year would now be unable to do so”.

“But we are going further – today I will ask the expert and independent Migration Advisory Committee to review the graduate route for international students,” wrote Cleverly.

“We must prevent abuse of this route, protect the integrity and quality of our higher education, and ensure it works in our best interests.”

The review was initially announced in December 2023 in the House of Commons by Cleverly, who took the opportunity to reinforce the plans with Daily Mail readers in the 11 March article and give a clearer timeline to when the findings of the review can be expected.

“I want to ensure that applications through this route are not being driven by a desire for immigration over education. The MAC will report back to me in May.”

We must prevent abuse of the graduate route into the UK & protect the integrity of our higher education system.

That’s why today I’ve commissioned a review of the graduate route for international students by the independent Migration Advisory Committee.https://t.co/tNdigZ3ccy

— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) March 11, 2024

The terms of reference for the MAC’s review into the visa route are also becoming a little clearer, as Cleverly outlined what he expects to be included. In a letter dated March 11, Cleverly wrote to Brian Bell, chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, with regards to the “rapid” review of the Graduate Route the UK government has commissioned.

Cleverly noted the government will consider the MAC’s analysis – expected by May 14 – “with a view to implementing any changes in due course”.

According to the letter, the review may include evidence of abuse of the route and evidence of it not being fit for purpose. In addition, it will also report findings on who is using the route and which university they graduated from.

Cleverly is also requesting to see “demographics and trends for students accessing a study visa and subsequently accessing the UK labour market by means of the Graduate Route”.

The review will also include information on what individuals do during and after their time on the Graduate Route and whether students who progress to the route are contributing to the economy, requested Cleverly.

Finally, the government would like to see an analysis of whether the the route is “undermining the integrity and quality of the UK higher education system”, in the context of the government’s wider International Education Strategy.

“Whilst the Graduate Route has supported the UK to achieve its International Education Strategy ambition of hosting 600,000 students a year and progress towards our education exports target, we want to understand whether it is meeting its wider objectives,” wrote Cleverly.

He went on to cite data from the MAC annual report that showed the proportion of international students studying at lower tariff institutions has risen to 32% in 2021/22, while the number of international postgraduate students attending institutions with the lowest UCAS tariff quartiles has increased by over 250% between 2018 and 2022.

“We are keen to understand the drivers behind this, including whether it is because people are using these courses as a long-term route to work in the UK,” wrote Cleverly.

Back in December, the home secretary said that international students were part of the “robust action” the government announced through a five-point plan on immigration.

Since the announcement, stakeholders have suggested that amending or removing the Graduate Route could give an advantage to the UK’s competitor markets.

Data collated by IDP backed this sentiment by indicating that close to half of applicants – some 45% – would likely change or consider changing their study destination if the post-study work period was shortened.

Stakeholders have previously expressed concern surrounding the timeline of the review, with the chair of the MAC Brian Bell reporting to have said he expects the review to take between six and nine months.

“That timeline is, I expect, a little problematic for government, given that it wants things to adapt sooner rather than later and given that this is an election year,” said Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, speaking at the Scottish Universities International Group conference in February.

Arrowsmith said that any efforts by government to rush this timeline, could “undermine the legitimacy of what the MAC is able to do”.

At the time, Arrowsmith said he hoped the review would include a full consultation with the sector, giving the opportunity to argue for the wider benefits of the policy and implications of any further restrictions.

Meanwhile, Cleverly has requested the review be carried out with the support of Sir Steve Smith, the government’s international education champion.

Smith should be invited to provide “expert advice and evidence on international education, on the government’s policies and strategies in relation to international students, and on the views and insights of the British higher education sector that assist this commission,” he continued.

Update (13:58m March 12): information about the terms of reference for the MAC’s review has been added to this article.