Almost 600 overseas students have successfully applied for a two-year visa extension since the Fresh Talent: Working In Scotland Scheme was launched in June.
(PressZoom) - This means that over 10 per cent of those overseas students who are eligible to stay and work in Scotland under the scheme have done so.
First Minister Jack McConnell said:
"While it is still early days, these figures show that the Working In Scotland Scheme is already attracting Fresh Talent. After only four months, nearly 600 students have spoken out and said that they want to live and work in our country.
"This is far higher than I anticipated for year one, and shows us that Fresh Talent can make a real and lasting difference. We must build on this and continue to sell Scotland to the world as the place to be. The message is clear - Scotland is a great place to live, to work and to study.
"When it comes to attracting the world's brightest and best, Scotland's door is open."
The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme is one of a range of measures to promote Scotland. It enables successful applicants to stay and work in Scotland for two years after the end of their course without the need for a work permit.
Eligible students are those non EU students who have graduated with a Higher National Diploma from a Scottish Further Education College or a first degree, Master's degree or Ph.D. from a Scottish Higher Education Institution.
It will not include students graduating with a Higher National Certificate or postgraduate diploma, recipients of honorary degrees, people who only spent a small proportion of their course studying in Scotland or people who lived outside Scotland while studying.
Between June and October this year, 100 people eligible to apply for the scheme have done so from within the UK. A further 486 eligible people have applied from overseas during the same period. This gives a total of 586 successful applicants over the period.
The Executive is also funding 22 scholarships for students from China (9), India (6), South Africa (2), Australia (2), New Zealand (1) and Singapore (2) who want to study for a Masters in Scotland. Scholars are now studying in Scotland for 2005/6. The programme is administered by British Council on behalf of the Executive.
Submitted by
Scottish Executive - scotland.gov.uk
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