The recent bout of changes to the UK immigration policy brought in by the coalition government have come under criticism from the opposition.
Lord Liddle, a foreign affairs spokesman with Labour, said that the changes to the UK visa system are likely to prove a barrier to economic growth. He added that the government's tactics were for “rank populism” at a risk to the country's future prospects, the Press Association reported.
Labour academic Lord Parekh joined in the House of Lords debate that focused on the relationship between the UK and India. He called the restriction of post-study work visas a “great mistake”, adding: “Under the current scheme students coming here after graduating or post-graduating can work for two years. This allows them to gain experience and to contribute their skills to this country. It benefits both sides.”
The comments follow the publication of a report from the Oxford Migration Observatory, which found that British people are not particularly concerned about highly skilled immigrants and students.
According to the study, which found that Britons are worried about high levels of immigration, they would rather see the government focus its efforts on illegal immigrants and assylum seekers than students and workers.