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<p>Department officials meet regularly with the Home Office to discuss a range of
issues regarding migration and the UK higher education (HE) sector. Although my right
hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has not discussed the Russell Group’s European
Skills Passport specifically with my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, we know
that EU students, staff and providers make a powerful contribution to our world-class
HE sector.</p><p>There are a wide range of options as to how EU migration might work
once we have left the EU and we are working hard to assess the benefits and drawbacks
of each potential model, all underpinned by robust analysis. On 18 September, the
independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published its report on the patterns
of European Economic Area migration on the UK. This followed its 11 September report
on the impact of international students in the UK, which highlighted the important
part that international student play in the UK education sector, the economy and our
society. The government is grateful to the MAC for undertaking this work. We have
always been clear that we want decisions about the future immigration system to be
based on evidence. The MAC’s reports will inform those decisions and we will consider
their recommendations carefully before setting out further detail on the UK’s future
immigration system. We plan to publish a white paper on the future immigration system
later this year.</p><p>To help provide certainty, we have given assurances on student
finance for EU students starting courses in 2019/20 academic year or before, and assurances
on research funding. We have also reached an agreement with the EU guaranteeing the
rights of EU citizens living in the UK and of UK nationals living in the EU. EU citizens
living in the UK by 31 December 2020, along with their family members, will be able
to stay, with the same access to work, study, benefits and public services that they
enjoy now. Close family members living overseas will be able to join them here in
future.</p>
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