Non-EU Students Will Be Able To Stay In Spain After Graduating For Up To Two Years Under New Plans

Non-EU students in Spain will soon be able to extend their stay for up to two years following graduation under new plans being mapped out by the government.

The legislation, which would still need to be approved by the Council of Ministers, would also mean that non-EU students will no longer be required to renew their residence permits each year.

Currently, third-country graduates can apply to extend their resident permits which depend on the length of their course. If the new legislation is approved, an extension will automatically be granted without the need to apply for it.

The move is an attempt to attract international talent and bring Spain in line with the likes of France, the U.S and the United Kingdom that manage to lure many of the top students despite having expensive tuition fees.

Minister Joan Subirats said, “In the LOSU it is planned that the residence permit to study in Spain does not have to be requested every year, as is the case now, but can be extended for the duration of the studies.”

Subirats also said that it was also important that Spain not only attracted the most talented students but also retained them, allowing them to stay in the country and look for work.

It is thought that around 90,000 highly qualified graduates who previously studied in Spain over the past 10 years, left the country to find opportunities in other countries.

It is believed that Minister Subirats has requested an extended period of two years, however, sources from the Ministry of Universities have said that the period is still being negotiated and is expected to be less.

The move will look to improve the standing of Spain and the internationalisation of its universities.

The vast majority of third-country students in Spain are from Asia, Africa and South America with foreigners representing 9.4% of the total number of students enrolled in Spanish Universities in 2021.

“There are already 600 million people who speak Spanish in the world and the forecast is that in 2050 the United States will be the country with the most Spanish speakers,” Subirats said about the possibility of the Spanish language serving as a driving factor in attracting foreign talent.

Source

https://www.thelocal.es/20220613/non-eu-university-students-in-spain-will-be-able-to-stay-after-finishing-studies/
https://elpais.com/educacion/2022-06-13/los-universitarios-extranjeros-podran-quedarse-un-ano-en-espana-automaticamente-al-terminar-la-carrera.html