Do international students cost the country or contribute to it?
Data from the UK, USA, and Australia reveals that the "Overstay Myth" contradicts statistical reality.
Across major Anglophone destinations, the vast majority of students leave or extend their visas legally.
Percentage of students with no record of departure after visa expiry.
Comparing net economic contribution vs. estimated public cost.
In the UK, students pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (£776/yr) upfront. In Australia and the USA, mandatory private insurance (OSHC) is required. They are net funders of health systems, not drains.
Canada has seen a rise in asylum claims (~1.5% of students), but this remains a small minority. The vast majority use the legal PGWP (Post-Grad Work Permit) route designed by the government to retain talent.
Germany and South Korea actively design visas to keep students. They view the departure of a graduate as a "lost investment," contrasting sharply with the Anglo-Saxon "migration fear" narrative.