The Home Office could be targeting international students who don’t exist in its attempt to drive down net migration figures, according to the IPPR.

The UK's hard line on lowering net migration targets and restricting post-study work rights threatens its position as the second most popular study destination according to a report published today by the Institute for Public Policy Research. It calls for the government to extend work rights and increase the number of students studying in pathway settings.

Student visa issuance has fallen by a hefty 21% in the UK, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. In the year to June 2012, 282,833 visas were granted – 75,000 fewer than in the previous 12 months – an indication that government policies to lower the number of overseas students in the UK are gaining traction.

The tug of war over international student visa policy in the UK continued yesterday, with a major think tank claiming that the immigration system was still “too easily abused” by students. Migration Watch UK also denounced calls for students to be removed from net migration figures, saying it would “destroy public confidence in the government’s immigration policy”.