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UK cutting foreign student visas Tougher rules for student visas
(about 3 hours later)
The number of visas granted to students from outside the EU is to be cut in a crackdown on abuses of the system, UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said. Tougher rules have been brought in to stop people abusing the student visa system to remain illegally in the UK.
Mr Johnson said tougher rules would require applicants to speak English to near-GCSE level and ban those on short UK courses from bringing dependants. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said 30% of migrants who came into the UK were on student visas and a number were adults taking short courses, not degrees.
He said the rules were aimed at those who came to the UK primarily for work. Under the new rules, applicants will need to speak English to near-GCSE level and those on short courses will not be able to bring dependants.
The Tories said the system had been the "biggest hole in border controls".
The Home Office would not confirm reports the changes may cut visas issued this year by tens of thousands.The Home Office would not confirm reports the changes may cut visas issued this year by tens of thousands.
A spokesman said the review of student visas had been ordered in November. In 2008/9, about 240,000 student visas were issued by the UK. A spokesman said a review of student visas had been ordered in November. In 2008/9, about 240,000 student visas were issued by the UK.
News of the measures, which will not require legislation and will be introduced within weeks, comes a week after student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were suspended amid a big rise in cases. News of the new measures comes a week after student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were suspended amid a big rise in cases.
'Raise the bar' 'Legitimate study'
Last year the UK introduced a system requiring students wishing to enter the country to secure 40 points under its criteria.Last year the UK introduced a system requiring students wishing to enter the country to secure 40 points under its criteria.
The biggest hole in the student visa system is caused by the Tory and Labour abolition of exit checks Chris HuhneLib Dem shadow home secretary
However, the government has faced criticism that this has allowed suspected terrorists and other would-be immigrants into the UK, only for them to stay on despite their visas being temporary.However, the government has faced criticism that this has allowed suspected terrorists and other would-be immigrants into the UK, only for them to stay on despite their visas being temporary.
We remain open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study Alan JohnsonHome Secretary Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the home secretary denied the system had been lax before.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said he made "no apologies for strengthening an already robust system". "We closed down 200 bogus colleges," he said. "By 2011, we will have the most sophisticated system in the world to check people not just coming into the country but to check they have left as well."
He added: "We created our points-based system so that we could respond quickly to changing circumstances, when necessary, to raise the bar students have to meet to come to the UK. He said the UK remains open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study.
"We remain open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study - they remain welcome. Alan Johnson: "If you are coming here for a course that is under six months you can not bring your dependents"
"But those who are not seriously interested in coming here to study but come primarily to work - they should be in no doubt that we will come down hard on those that flout the rules." "We are the second most popular location for people going into higher education," he said.
Under the measures: "We have to be careful that we are not damaging a major part of the UK economy, between £5bn and £8bn."
• Successful applicants from outside the EU will have to speak English to a level only just below GCSE standard, rather than beginner level as at present. Under the measures, effective immediately:
• Students taking courses below degree level will be allowed to work for only 10 hours a week, instead of 20 as at present. • Successful applicants from outside the EU will have to speak English to a level only just below GCSE standard, rather than beginner level as at present
• Those on courses which last under six months will not be allowed to bring dependants into the country, while the dependants of students on courses below degree level will not be allowed to work. • Students taking courses below degree level will be allowed to work for only 10 hours a week, instead of 20 as at present
• Those on courses which last under six months will not be allowed to bring dependants into the country, while the dependants of students on courses below degree level will not be allowed to work
• Additionally, visas for courses below degree level will also be granted only if the institutions they attend are on a new register, the Highly Trusted Sponsors List.• Additionally, visas for courses below degree level will also be granted only if the institutions they attend are on a new register, the Highly Trusted Sponsors List.
Last weekend it emerged the UK Border Agency had temporarily suspended student visa applications from northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Liberal Democrat shadow home secretary Chris Huhne said the UK needed to "restore immediately control of our borders".
Officials said they were acting after the system had been overwhelmed and concerns had been raised that many cases were not genuine. Many of these students, if they are coming here using this route for illegal migration, will pay thousands of pounds to usually criminal gangs Alan JohnsonHome Secretary
"The biggest hole in the student visa system is caused by the Tory and Labour abolition of exit checks, which means we do not know if someone has left once their visa runs out," he said.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said the student visa system had been the "biggest hole in our border controls for a decade".
"Ministers should be ending the situation where a student visa is a way of coming to the UK to stay, by banning the practice of moving from course to course in order to stay on and stopping overseas students from applying for work permits without going home first," he said.
The party has also proposed that overseas students should pay a cash deposit which would be lost if they did not leave the country when their course finished.
But Mr Johnson said it would just add another level of bureaucracy.
"Many of these students, if they are coming here using this route for illegal migration, will pay thousands of pounds to usually criminal gangs," he said.
"The thought of losing a bond is not going to solve this problem."