International students who have completed their postgraduate
degree in the UK will be allowed to remain and work in Britain for
an additional year after graduation starting this month, the
British Council announced yesterday.
The policy to give job experience will also be applied to those
with undergraduate degrees in jobs where the UK has skill shortages
-- such as math, science and engineering.
Later this year, the British government is also expected to
introduce a program to place up to 1,000 Chinese graduates a year
in jobs in the UK for 12-month work experience.
"As well as the advantages of the education itself, there are
increasing opportunities to stay and gain work experience after
graduation," said Sue Bishop, British Consul General in
Shanghai.
"We believe study in the UK offers top quality education in an
innovative and multi-cultural country," she said.
From 17,000 to 26,000 Chinese students have studied annually in
the UK in recent years; a quarter of the student visas were issued
in Shanghai and Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces.
About 60,000 Chinese students are studying in the UK currently,
15 percent of the international students.
Student visa application success rates rose from 68 percent in
2004 to 72 percent last year. The percentage so far this year is 80
percent.
(Shanghai Daily May 18, 2006)
