The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Catriona Laing has admitted that the number of Nigerians applying for visas to the UK has increased in recent times.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, Laing said that the UK was prepared to welcome talents from Nigeria and expressed joy that Nigerians, especially students, have found the UK an attractive destination, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
She, however, said that the UK government was mindful not to encourage brain drain, especially in the health sector and so was in talks with the Nigerian government to balance out the situation.
Laing also revealed that the UK's new policy of allowing foreign students to remain and work in the UK for up to two years after their postgraduate studies has become another huge attraction for Nigerian students.
"You know, there are people of Nigerian origin in the UK.
“So, people like to go where they have family or where they have friends. Secondly, the English language makes it a lot easier.
"Thirdly is the education, and people who have studied there will want to return.
Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria
“And I think you know, we are a welcoming country and we want to welcome talents, whether it’s people coming to study, or people coming to work.
"So, a lot of Nigerians will be tuned to the UK and we have seen a very big increase in requests for Nigerian student visas. That is partly because we have changed our policy.
“So it is now easier for Nigerians, students to remain after their studies.
“They can stay I think up to two years if you have done a master's or a Ph.D., which will enable people to look for work after they have studied.
“We have a labor shortage in the UK at the moment. But we have to balance that because we do not also want to be responsible for a massive brain drain from Nigeria because you also need talented people.
“So the health sector is an example where there is a lot of Nigerian medics, both nurses and doctors in the National Health Service,” Laing said.
Migration is a huge problem
Laing also explained her country's policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda as one way of promoting migration which she described as a huge problem.
“We have a policy we have designed, to enhance migration in partnership with the government of Rwanda. But it is actually under legal challenge at the moment.
“So that is just one element of trying to deal with what is frankly a huge problem.
“As you see in the news, each day, these boats are coming across the channel with migrants from many different countries, and it is a huge, huge problem.
“Because when they arrive they have to find accommodation, and it takes a long time to process their applications.
“So we recognize there are many genuine refugees from countries like Syria.
“In Africa, it is mostly Eritrea, South Sudan; the people who are fleeing horrible persecution.
“So the Rwanda policy is just one component of many that we are trying to put in place to address this very challenging problem,” Laing explained.
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