A graduate visa allows a person to remain in the country for at least two years after completing a course in the UK successfully .

The Government has opened a consultation on this visa route into how to prevent what it has called “abuse” of the system.

Over 98,000 graduate visas were granted in the past year to June.

The government has already announced plans to limit the number of students who can bring family members with them to the UK.

The changes, which come into force in January, take away the right of international students to bring dependents unless they are on postgraduate research courses.

Students will also no longer be allowed to switch onto work visas before their studies are completed.