An estimate released today suggests that recent changes to the student visa system will also cut the number of visas issued to students¡¯ dependants by 100,000 by 2015.

Vice-chancellors argued strongly against a harsh crackdown when the government announced its plans to reduce annual net migration to below 100,000, pointing to the vital income brought in by fee-paying foreign students.

In a statement today, immigration minister Damian Green says: ¡°We are radically reforming the immigration system to tackle abuse and bring net migration down to sustainable levels.

¡°These changes to the student visa system will create a system where every student coming to the UK attends a legitimate course at a legitimate institution.

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¡°They will work alongside our other reforms of the work route and changes being planned for the settlement and the family routes.¡±

Million+, the group representing post-92 universities, said the visa restrictions could cost the sector a ¡°huge¡± sum of money.

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Pam Tatlow, its chief executive, said: ¡°The best guess is that the reforms will cost a massive ?2.4 billion but the worst case scenario could be as high as ?3.6 billion.

¡°At a time of economic difficulty we should not be introducing reforms that will damage the UK or stop us attracting the talent and skills we need to rebuild our economy.

¡°Of course we should be doing more to crack down on bogus colleges but the system did not need the government to take a sledge hammer to it. The end result could be a catastrophic loss of education exports.¡±

john.gill@tsleducation.com