Based on my primary and secondary research so far, I’ve put together a brief hypothesis of the causes, solutions, consequences and long-term effects of not allowing international students to be self-employed in the years to come in the UK.
HYPOTHESIS OF CAUSES
Reasons why international students are not currently allowed to be self-employed.
- Taxes not being properly paid.
- Hard to track job hours.
- Expanding the student visa regulations could be costly.
- This is the way it’s always been and not many have challenged it yet.
SOLUTIONS FOR CAUSES
Solutions that could be implemented to allow self-employment in support of the Inter.work campaign.
- Workshops to educate international students about sole business proprietor tax law.
- International students to closely track work hours and report, perhaps through a set software.
- Contact relevant All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGSs) who could aid in the campaign in favor of self-employment:
- Adult Education:
- Purpose: “To celebrate the contribution of adult education to the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the UK and to raise the profile of adult education through exploring the need for policy change and developing new evidence to demonstrate its impact.”
- Art, Craft and Design in Education:
- Purpose: “The group believes that art, craft and design education is essential to the economy and to the cultural, spiritual, creative and social wellbeing of all; that it empowers individuals, enabling them to engage with our rich visual and cultural heritage, express themselves and become visually literate and perceptive, and that access to high quality art, craft and design education is an entitlement for everyone.”
- Arts and Heritage:
- Purpose: “To promote interest in the arts and heritage at Westminster.”
- Entrepreneurship:
- Purpose: “To encourage, support and promote entrepreneurship. Also ensures that parliament is kept up to date on what is needed to create and sustain the most favourable conditions for entrepreneurship.”
- Financial Education for Young People:
- Purpose: “To provide a forum for parliamentarians and organisations to discuss the current provision of financial education in schools, further education and higher education, and ensure that all young people – regardless of background – are equipped to make informed financial decisions.”
- Further Education and Lifelong Learning:
- Purpose: “To promote and develop the interests of further education, adult learning, skills sectors and to advise government ministers on matters of concern to those sectors.”
- Future of Work:
- Purpose: “To advance (i) understanding and discussion about the impacts of technology on work (ii) dialogue and collaboration between government, business, unions, academics and civil society and (iii) practical solutions in response to key challenges and opportunities aimed at shaping a future of better work across the UK.”
- Immigration Law and Policy:
- Purpose: “The group will consider some of the regulatory and legislative barriers migrants face and will identify solutions to inform policy makers in the future. The group will also provide opportunities for MPs and immigration lawyers to discuss and work together on key areas of immigration law and policy.”
- Inclusive Entrepreneurship:
- Purpose: “To ensure that Parliament is fully informed on what is needed to create and sustain the most beneficial conditions for inclusive economic growth. To stimulate, encourage and nurture inclusive entrepreneurship throughout the country, and to engage with entrepreneurs who have protected characteristics, particularly disabled entrepreneurs.”
- International Students:
- Purpose: “To recognise the internationalisation and global prominence of UK education; promote the value of international students to UK education, economy and ‘soft power’; raise awareness of issues which affect international students and UK education; and provide a platform for collaboration between parliamentarians, international education institutions and professionals and business leaders.”
- Skills, Careers and Employment:
- Purpose: “Cross-party coalition of parliamentarians devoted to raising the profile of skills and employment policy. Brings together Parliament, employers, and the skills sector to ensure that skills policy promotes social mobility, lifelong learning opportunities and local economic growth.”
- Students:
- Purpose: “To provide a forum for all parliamentarians to develop greater understanding of the range of issues affecting students in further and higher education. To ensure that student views and experiences are heard in Parliament, facilitate interaction between students and MPs and Peers, and ensure education policy takes account of student views.”
- University:
- Purpose: “To act as a high-level forum for discussion between university leaders and parliamentarians on issues affecting the higher education sector.”
- Adult Education:
HYPOTHESIS OF CONSEQUENCES
What could happen in the short run as freelancing continues to be prohibited.
- Limited career progression in the freelance economy for international students.
- International students taken advantage of by providing free work.
HYPOTHESIS OF LONG-TERM EFFECTS
What could happen in the long run as freelancing continues to be prohibited.
- Uneven playing field for domestic and international students widening as contract/freelancing jobs are on the rise.
- The UK and the US could lose a significant amount of students to other countries such as Canada, Australia and Japan, which would decrese higher education institutions’ revenue.