International student say 'The odds are stacked against us'

by Johnson Asi

MA Journalism students are scrambling to secure jobs as their Masters courses are almost at completion. Before they even apply for a job, they already know they are fighting an uphill battle, Amiya said: "The first question we are asked for every job is whether we require visa sponsorship."

"They just say no because no one wants to sponsor international students, which narrows down where I can get experience and jobs. We need to prove ourselves more to convince them to pay for the visa sponsorship."

 A survey done by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development  (CIPD) revealed that 42% of UK employers find the process of visa sponsorship too costly and complicated so it therefore acts as a deterrent to business owners who are looking to hire international students.

Another problem for international students is "we are restricted to only 20 hours per week", Amiyah added. It makes it harder to find jobs as "employers need people with availability and we are restricted in what we are able", Halimah another MA student said. This restriction can make it difficult for students to gain practical experience.

"It's sad because I would have loved to gain some experience before I go back to my country", said Amiya, and although she's studying for a Journalism Masters, "so I had to apply to PR agencies because desperate times call for desperate measures".

According to Universities UK, Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the vast majority (80 per cent) of international students leave within five years of arrival and, while the number of international students remaining in the UK is increasing, net migration is still expected to decrease as the number of students emigrating increases.

Halimah, an MA Journalism student, thinks the 20 hours are not suitable for certain careers compared to others. Due to the nature of journalism as a career, "it requires lots of hours", whether it's writing news stories and features interviewing people and procuring quotes, or recording and procuring footage, this career is hour-heavy. "20 hours just isn't feasible for a career in Journalism", said Zac, a local MA journalism student.

The odds are stacked against International students. Amiyah said: "The fact that the main reason is that I'm not a British citizen is quite disheartening and disappointing, especially because no one really wants someone who can only work for 20 hours a week so it's quite a humbling experience."