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| Version 16 | Version 17 |
|---|---|
| Tighter rules for UK student visas | Tighter rules for UK student visas |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent | By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent |
| The rules for student visas into the UK are to be much tougher - after fears that this route of entry is being used dishonestly. | The rules for student visas into the UK are to be much tougher - after fears that this route of entry is being used dishonestly. |
| Home Secretary Theresa May said student visas were being abused and "too many were here to work and not to study". | Home Secretary Theresa May said student visas were being abused and "too many were here to work and not to study". |
| She announced plans to cut the number of student visas by up to 80,000 - about a quarter of the current numbers. | She announced plans to cut the number of student visas by up to 80,000 - about a quarter of the current numbers. |
| Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that rules must not damage an industry worth £5bn a year. | Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that rules must not damage an industry worth £5bn a year. |
| Mrs May told the House of Commons that the misuse of student visas had become a "symbol of a broken and abused immigration system". | Mrs May told the House of Commons that the misuse of student visas had become a "symbol of a broken and abused immigration system". |
| Language rules | Language rules |
| Tightening rules to stop false applications would be "in the best interests of legitimate students," she said. | Tightening rules to stop false applications would be "in the best interests of legitimate students," she said. |
| The tougher rules will include a requirement for students to be able to speak English. | The tougher rules will include a requirement for students to be able to speak English. |
| Mrs May said she wanted to end the situation where would-be students arrived at UK airports unable to even describe the courses they were about to begin. | Mrs May said she wanted to end the situation where would-be students arrived at UK airports unable to even describe the courses they were about to begin. |
| There will also be tighter regulations on allowing the dependents of students to join them in the UK - and less flexibility in the number of years that overseas students can spend in the UK after courses are finished. | There will also be tighter regulations on allowing the dependents of students to join them in the UK - and less flexibility in the number of years that overseas students can spend in the UK after courses are finished. |
| In response to concerns that students visas are being misused by economic migrants, there will be limits on the hours of paid work which overseas students will be allowed to carry out. | In response to concerns that students visas are being misused by economic migrants, there will be limits on the hours of paid work which overseas students will be allowed to carry out. |
| Universities had previously expressed fears about the loss of overseas students from tighter visa rules - but Universities UK said that their concerns had been taken into account. | Universities had previously expressed fears about the loss of overseas students from tighter visa rules - but Universities UK said that their concerns had been taken into account. |
| Many of the restrictions are targeted at students in private colleges - rather than universities. | Many of the restrictions are targeted at students in private colleges - rather than universities. |
| Language colleges and providers of pre-university entry courses had warned of the damage to their businesses if visa rules make it difficult for legitimate students to enter the UK. | Language colleges and providers of pre-university entry courses had warned of the damage to their businesses if visa rules make it difficult for legitimate students to enter the UK. |
| But Mrs May told MPs that such "pathway" courses into universities would be protected, if universities acted as sponsors to students. | But Mrs May told MPs that such "pathway" courses into universities would be protected, if universities acted as sponsors to students. |
| "We will need to look closely at the finer detail, but they have listened to our concerns about pathway courses into universities and the need for the language requirement to be set at a realistic level that will not deter good students," said Edward Acton, vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia. | "We will need to look closely at the finer detail, but they have listened to our concerns about pathway courses into universities and the need for the language requirement to be set at a realistic level that will not deter good students," said Edward Acton, vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia. |
| Bogus colleges | Bogus colleges |
| The Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that the plan was being driven by the need to meet political promises about cutting immigration numbers, rather than to improve the visa system. | The Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that the plan was being driven by the need to meet political promises about cutting immigration numbers, rather than to improve the visa system. |
| She said that Mrs May should act "in the interests of a sensible, controlled migration policy, rather than taking risks with an important export industry for the sake of promises she knows she can't keep". | She said that Mrs May should act "in the interests of a sensible, controlled migration policy, rather than taking risks with an important export industry for the sake of promises she knows she can't keep". |
| The proposals from the government are the latest attempt to find a way to stop false applications without deterring legitimate students, who have become an important source of funding for UK universities and colleges. | The proposals from the government are the latest attempt to find a way to stop false applications without deterring legitimate students, who have become an important source of funding for UK universities and colleges. |
| There has been a long-standing problem with bogus colleges, set up to get around visa rules under the pretence of offering courses. | There has been a long-standing problem with bogus colleges, set up to get around visa rules under the pretence of offering courses. |
| Despite repeated efforts to tighten the rules, there are still concerns about the misuse of the visa system by self-regulated, private colleges. | Despite repeated efforts to tighten the rules, there are still concerns about the misuse of the visa system by self-regulated, private colleges. |
| There have been 64 colleges which have had their right to sponsor overseas students withdrawn, since the current regulations were introduced. | There have been 64 colleges which have had their right to sponsor overseas students withdrawn, since the current regulations were introduced. |
| Last week the Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that the government should abandon plans to raise the level of English required to gain a visa. | Last week the Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that the government should abandon plans to raise the level of English required to gain a visa. |
| UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "The government's student visa plans are short-sighted and risk sending out the worrying message that the UK is closed for business." | UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "The government's student visa plans are short-sighted and risk sending out the worrying message that the UK is closed for business." |
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| ....... And if you think it's unfair that you cannot freely go where you please, consider my case. i'm an australian of english ancestry and hence indiginous to the uk. now aboriginality is recognised in many countries by their governments yet I can not freely reside or work in the UK and am treated like any other naitonality. | |
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| Denys,I agree that bogus students are less pernicious than bogus asylum seekers, but you have to realise that even just being in a country you are still benefiting from externalities funded by the british people and that is a privilege which you have no natural right to. And i'm afraid part time work and paying your rent doesn't cover your share. If it did, we wouldn't need immigration control. | |
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| Dave,Although some come to the UK with a student visa and then work full time instead of studying, they still pay taxes, work hard and, i believe, do not harm the economy.As for the other areas of the immigration system (e.g. asylum), which is being significantly abused, government will have to close their eyes, as this is a VERY sensitive topic; no MP wants to sit on the backbenches... | Dave,Although some come to the UK with a student visa and then work full time instead of studying, they still pay taxes, work hard and, i believe, do not harm the economy.As for the other areas of the immigration system (e.g. asylum), which is being significantly abused, government will have to close their eyes, as this is a VERY sensitive topic; no MP wants to sit on the backbenches... |
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| Denys,By your account, you are not abusing the system but there are numerous who are. Yes, there are other areas of the immigration system that should be examined, indeed every aspect of this system should be thoroughly examined with any faults found being rectified immediately. | Denys,By your account, you are not abusing the system but there are numerous who are. Yes, there are other areas of the immigration system that should be examined, indeed every aspect of this system should be thoroughly examined with any faults found being rectified immediately. |
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