A STUDENT'S VIEW:The proposed five-year cap on non-EEA students in Ireland is "absurd", says Ying Yun Wang, a research student in Dublin. "If someone comes here and does a language course for one year, followed by an undergraduate degree for four years, that is already five years," she says, and it would leave no room for non-EEA students to continue in education.
This could make Ireland less attractive for these students, with a resultant loss of the drastically higher tuition fees paid by the students . Non-EEA students are allowed to work 20 hours a week and like many Chinese students, Ms Wang has worked part-time during her seven years in Ireland.
“It is a way to attract Chinese students. They come to study but they also hope to make a better living for themselves.”
If restrictions were to be tightened on work for non-EEA students, she said, “students will not choose Ireland as their study destination. “Also, Ireland is not an immigration country like Canada for example, where you cannot work whilst you study but you can apply for a work permit on a point-system afterwards.
“For me, the Irish policy has this unwelcome attitude. It says, remember you are here as a student and then go back.”
JENNY HAUSER