This EMN Inform summarises the main findings of the EMN Ad-Hoc Query on Retaining third-country national students.
Key points to note:
- The number of international students in the EU has been rising steadily within the past years; however, the percentage of graduates choosing to stay in the EU after the end of their studies remains relatively low.
- In general, Member States are increasingly interested in incorporating former international students into their labour markets, and have changed their national immigration laws to incentivise their stay (e.g. lowered salary requirements and a permit to stay for the purpose of job searching or starting a business).
- The majority of Member States require third-country national to prove that the permit is used for its main purpose.
- The majority of Member States do not have a National Strategy for third-country national student retention, nor a national coordinating body for this strategy.
