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While many students pursue their education overseas for its quality, some see a student visa as an easy ‘guarantee’ for permanent residency.

By TAN EE LOO

Informative article to read, click here for more

The next set of changes to the Immigration Rules affecting Tier 4 – the student tier – of the points-based system has been laid in Parliament today. The changes will come into effect on 4 July 2011.

The aim of the revised Immigration Rules is to deliver a strong migration system which tackles immigration abuse, while allowing genuine students to study at genuine colleges.

From 4 July UKBA will:

• Restrict work entitlements to migrants studying at higher educational institutions (HEIs) and publicly funded further education colleges only;
• Restrict the sponsorship of dependants to those studying at postgraduate level at HEIs on courses lasting at least 12 months, and government-sponsored students on courses lasting at least 6 months;
• Require education providers to vouch that a new course represents genuine academic progression;
• Ensure that maintenance funds are genuinely available to the applicant, by introducing a declaration on the visa application form;
• Commit to publish a list of financial institutions, on the basis of experience, which do not verify financial statements in more than 50 per cent of a sample of cases;
• Introduce a streamlined application process for low-risk nationals applying to attend courses with Highly Trusted Sponsors;
• Extend the list of courses for which students must receive ATAS clearance;
• Restrict the ability to deliver accountancy courses accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to those sponsors accorded platinum or gold status by ACCA; and
• Clarify the position of overseas universities with campuses in the UK.

The much awaited and long anticipated changes in the Student Visa Policy was announced yesterday by the Home Secretary Theresa May, who said student visas were being abused and “too many were here to work and not to study”

According to UKBA, New Student Visa Policy in Summary, To be in effect from the First Week of April , 2011,The main changes are as follows:

§ From April 2012, any institution wanting to sponsor students will need to be classed as a Highly Trusted sponsor, and will need to become accredited by a statutory education inspection body by the end of 2012. The current system does not require this, and has allowed too many poor-quality colleges to become sponsors.

§ Students coming to study at degree level will need to speak English at an ‘upper intermediate’ (B2) level, rather than the current ‘lower intermediate’ (B1) requirement.

§ UK Border Agency staff will be able to refuse entry to students who cannot speak English without an interpreter, and who therefore clearly do not meet the minimum standard.

§ Students at universities and publicly funded further education colleges will retain their current work rights, but all other students will have no right to work. We will place restrictions on work placements in courses outside universities.

§ Only postgraduate students at universities and government-sponsored students will be able to bring their dependants. At the moment, all students on longer courses can bring their dependants.

§ We will limit the overall time that can be spent on a student visa to 3 years at lower levels (as it is now) and 5 years at higher levels. At present, there is no time limit for study at or above degree level.

§ We will close the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, which allows students 2 years to seek employment after their course ends. Only graduates who have an offer of a skilled job from a sponsoring employer under Tier 2 of the points-based system will be able to stay to work.

Tougher rules for non-EU students, New Student Visa Policy Updates and PSW Closure…
The official consultation period on the student visa route closed by 31st Jan, 2011.

Yesterday, Damian Green, the Immigration minister, said “It seems to me that to allow unfettered access to the jobs market for two years to anyone with a student visa from abroad is putting an unnecessary extra strain on our own graduates,” – This implies limiting post-study work at a time when graduate unemployment is at its peak for 17 years.

According to the Yesterday’s Interview with BBC Immigration Minister Damian Green has announced a review of every route used to gain the right to live and work indefinitely in the UK. access the Interview Video with BBC here

As the official consultation ended up on newly announced student visa policy Expect further detailed procedures and guidelines in the coming days; it is to be finally announced means It is to be implemented by first week of April, 2011

We also expect, not wish – Revamp of settlement rights which means thousands of migrants are to lose the right to live in the UK permanently

Rushdy Razak

UK Immigration and Nationality Policy Handbook Volume 1 Strategic Information and Basic Regulations

BBC Reports that Courses, staff and students are to be reduced at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, (Uwic) as higher education funding cuts and changes take effect, according to BBC wales Education Minister Leighton Andrews, has repeatedly called for mergers between universities and in December the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales published proposals to reduce the number of universities in Wales from 10 to six, with just two universities in south east Wales.

Funding Cuts, Developing Story
Currently, universities and directly funded FE colleges receive HEFCE cash to pay for teacher training courses. Full-time students have access to bursaries, which cover the cost of fees and some living expenses, while part-time students’ employers have access to grants to cover their fees. according to Denise Robinson, director of the Consortium for Post-Compulsory Education and Training, said part-time students receiving “in-service” training – the route favoured by around 90 per cent of FE teachers – might have to pay as much as £8,000 for a two-year course when the changes come into effect in 2012/13 – more than five times the current fee of £1,500

Courtesy: BBC Wales, Times Higher Education/TES, More about Post Compulsory Education & Training Network

Oxford and Cambridge are very special universities – on that, at least, their supporters and detractors agree. But attempting to define how (and why) they are special opens up an intriguing debate, and one that is crucial for the whole of higher education in the UK. Put simply, are Oxford and Cambridge leaders, role models, or so different as to be irrelevant?

A very interesting article in Guardian, To read more follow this link

Manchester College of Higher Education and Technology, in Cheetham Hill, has won a legal fight to get back its license to sponsor overseas students.

Read more here

UKBA on 14th December 2010 published new versions of application forms and policy guidance under the following categories of the points-based system:

• Tier 1 (General)
• Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
• Tier 1 (Investor)
• Tier 1 (Post-study work)
• Tier 2 – all categories (application form only – no change to policy guidance)
• Tier 5 (Temporary worker) – all sub-categories
• PBS Dependant

To access above documents click here

Now It is mandatory to enroll for Biometric resident permits – for Tiers 1 and 5 of the points-based system, To read the details click here

New Policy Update in Summery 

1. Raising the level of courses students can study, with only Highly Trusted Sponsors able to offer courses to adult students below degree level.
2. introducing a tougher English language requirement;(competence at intermediary level B2)
3. ensuring students wishing to extend their studies show evidence of academic progression;
4. limiting students’ entitlements to work and their ability to bring in dependants; and
5. improving the accreditation process for education providers, alongside more rigorous inspections.

Further today’s new policy drive is to ensure students return overseas after their course finishes will mean students will have to leave the UK and apply for a new visa to further their studies, and show evidence of progression to a higher course. It will also see the closure of the post-study route under Tier 1.

The consultation will run for 8 weeks until 31st January. This is shorter than a standard 12 week consultation so that the policy can be announced in advance of the next academic year.

Rushdy Razak,
Extract from UKBA, 7th Dec, 2010, 3.30PM(GMT)

The immigration minister, Damian Green, today confirmed the government’s intention to bar tens of thousands of adult overseasstudents coming to study “below-degree-level” courses in Britain at all but “highly trusted” colleges.

Today’s proposals follow a major review of the Student Visa Process