Details of changes to student visas (31 March, 2011)

A statement of changes to the Immigration Rules has today been laid before Parliament, setting out how the student visa system will be reformed from next month. The reforms, which affect Tier 4 of the points-based system, were announced last week.

To accompany the statement of changes in the Immigration Rules bringing the first set of changes into force from 21 April 2011, we have published:

• a statement of intent containing full details of the reforms;
• revised policy guidance for Tier 4 migrants from 21 April 2011; and
• revised guidance for Tier 4 sponsors from 21 April 2011.

The laying of the statement of changes was anounced in a written ministerial statement by Immigration Minister Damian Green.

You can download the statement of changes, the written ministerial statement, the statement of intent and the revised guidance from the right side of this page.

# Student visas: statement of intent and transitional measuresPDF 154KB opens in a new window

http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier4migrantguidance-new.pdf

http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier4migrantguidance-new.pdf

IOE's prestigious Centenary Scholarships

Attention Students

The Institute of Education (IOE), part of the University of London, is the UK’s number one university for education and related social sciences. The IOE’s prestigious Centenary Scholarships, worth £22,000 per year of study and covering tuition fees and living expenses, are now open for applications. These scholarships offer an opportunity for highly talented students of education to study a Masters or a Doctoral degree in one of the world’s most prestigious graduate schools of education, based in the heart of central London. And with an unrivalled choice of postgraduate opportunities, these will be highly prized awards.

The closing date for applications is 16 May 2011.

·         For Centenary Scholarships for Masters degrees: http://www.ioe.ac.uk/studentInformation/41455.html

·         For Centenary Scholarships for Doctoral degrees: http://www.ioe.ac.uk/studentInformation/41456.html

Further information about the IOE is available at www.ioe.ac.uk/canada


Regards
Fawad Ullah
Chief Executive Officer
Brightspark Education Consultants (BEC)
Tel: +92 91 570 2952
Fax: +92 91 570 2953
Email 1: info@brightspark.com.pk | fawad@brightspark.com.pk
Email 2: info@brightsparkconsultants.co.uk |

UK Government outlines overhaul of student visas (22 March 2011)

Tougher entrance criteria, limits on work entitlements and the closure of the post-study work route are among the changes to the student visa system announced today by Home Secretary Theresa May.

The announcement follows a major public consultation on reforming Tier 4 of the points-based system, after a Home Office review revealed widespread abuse. A sample of Tier 4 students studying at private institutions revealed that 26 per cent of them could not be accounted for.

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.

The government has also pledged to develop a new entrepreneur route for bright and innovative students who have a business idea and want to make it work in the UK.

The Home Secretary said:

'International students not only make a vital contribution to the UK economy but they also help make our education system one of the best in the world.
'But it has become very apparent that the old student visa regime failed to control immigration and failed to protect legitimate students from poor-quality colleges.
'The changes I am announcing today re-focus the student route as a temporary one, available to only the brightest and best. The new system is designed to ensure students come for a limited period, to study, not work, and make a positive contribution while they are here.
'My aim is not to stop genuine students coming here - it is to eliminate abuse within the system. Our stricter accreditation process will see only first-class education providers given licences to sponsor students.
'I am delighted to announce that, alongside our stricter rules, we will ensure that innovative student entrepreneurs who are creating wealth are able to stay in the UK to pursue their ideas.'

The government has committed to reforming all routes of entry to the UK in order to bring immigration levels under control. The student changes will work alongside the annual limit on economic migration, and reforms to family and settlement routes planned for later this year.

You can find a summary of the new student policy under 'Related documents' on the right side of this page.

A statement of changes to the Immigration Rules will be published on this website on 31 March. We will publish an impact assessment on the same day.

http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/summary-student-policy.pdf 

Getting tough on NHS debtors

18 March 2011

Tough action to tackle health tourism was promised today, following the publication of 2 consultation reports on charging overseas visitors for NHS hospital care.

The UK Border Agency and the Department of Health carried out consultations last year following a 2009 review which set out to examine the rules on charging overseas visitors for access to NHS services in England. After considering the responses to the consultations, the government has now announced how these rules will change.

NHS measures for England include:

• extending the time that UK residents can spend abroad without losing their automatic entitlement to free hospital treatment, from 3 months to 6 months;
• allowing the small number of failed asylum seekers co-operating on registered Home Office support schemes (but not other failed asylum seekers who refuse to return home) to be exempt from charges; and
• guaranteeing free hospital treatment for unaccompanied children while they are under local authority care.

As part of the Home Office measures for the UK, anyone owing the NHS £1,000 or more will not be allowed to enter or remain in the UK until the debt is paid off. It is hoped that the £1,000 threshold, which will be implemented later this year, will capture 94 per cent of outstanding charges owed to the NHS.

To enforce this action, the NHS will provide information enabling the UK Border Agency to identify the debtors when they apply to return to or remain in the UK.

Anne Milton, Public Health Minister, said:

'The NHS has a duty to anyone whose life or long-term health is at immediate risk, but we cannot afford to become an international health service, providing free treatment for all.

'These changes will begin the process of developing a clearer and fairer system of access to free NHS services, which our review of the charging system will complete. I want to see a system which maintains the confidence of the public while preventing inappropriate free access and continuing our commitment to human rights and protecting vulnerable groups.'

Damian Green, Immigration Minister, said:

'The NHS is a national health service, not an international one. If someone does not pay for their treatment, we will not let them back into the country.
'We need robust controls to protect our public services.'

A full copy of the UK Border Agency consultation report can be found on this website. To find out more about the Department of Health consultation, see the Department of Health website.

Proposed fee increases to immigration and nationality applications from 6 April 2011

28 February 2011

Today, immigration Minister Damian Green has issued a Written Ministerial Statement (PDF 91KB opens in a new window) that proposes to increase immigration and nationality application fees for all those applying to study, visit, work or stay in the UK.

The new proposed fees (PDF 229KB opens in a new window) will be laid in Parliament in two separate regulations. These fees will not come into force untill they have been debated and approved in Parliament, but are due to take effect from 6 April 2011.

Under the current spending review, the Home Office is implementing a real terms reduction in budgets of up to a 20 per cent. The UK Border Agency is already seeking to offset this income gap with efficiency savings of approximately £500 million by reducing support costs, increasing efficiencies, boosting productivity and improving value for money from commercial suppliers. But these measures will not go far enough, and to address the funding shortfall the UK Border Agency will need to increase fees for financial year 2011/12.

The UK Border Agency believe the proposals to increase fees continue to strike the right balance between maintaining secure and effective border controls and ensuring that the fees structure does not inhibit the UK's ability to attract those migrants and visitors that make a valued contribution. This will help to support the immigration system, maintain public confidence and ensure that migration is managed for the benefit of the UK.

ENGLISH SUMMER CAMPS - Canada

Duration: One Month

Cost: 4950 (Fees+Living+Food)

Bond's Summer Camps are designed to provide international students with an exciting opportunity to learn English, discover Canada and make life-long friendships in a supervised and caring environment.
The camp is packed with activities, city trips, out of town weekend excursions, sports, specialized workshops and intensive English Classes.
Qualified staff and teachers deliver a solid program where students learn how to speak English with confidence and ease. Fun and interesting facts about Canadian history and culture are also integrated into the program.

Limit on Tier 2 (General) certificates of sponsorship until 23 April 2011 (22 December 2010)

From April 2011, the government will introduce an annual limit on applications for Tier 2 (General) of the points-based system.

On 21 December 2010, we announced an interim limit on the total number of certificates of sponsorship that sponsors can issue under Tier 2 (General) until 5 April 2011. The interim limit is 10,382 certificates, which includes certificates for both initial and extension applications. Any certificate that you assign to a prospective worker will be counted as 'used' and will be deducted from your allocation, even if it is assigned in error or is not used by the migrant to support an Tier 2 (General) application.

Applications under Tier 2 (Intra-company transfer), Tier 2 (Minister of religion) and Tier 2 (Sportsperson) are not included in the interim limit.

All allocations of certificates that have already been agreed with Tier 2 (General) sponsors will remain in place until 5 April 2011, regardless of the sponsor's current allocation renewal date. It is for sponsors to decide how to split their allocation between 'new' migrant workers and extension applicants.

The total number of 10,832 certificates includes those that have already been allocated to sponsors, but a small number have been set aside for exceptional circumstances. You can request additional certificates of sponsorship from this small reserved allocation if you are:

• an existing sponsor who requires additional certificates in exceptional circumstances during the period of the interim limit; or
• a new sponsor licensed during the period of the interim limit.

Requesting an initial or additional allocation of certificates

When we approve a new sponsor licence, we will initially give the sponsor a zero allocation of certificates. Existing sponsors may also have received a zero allocation for the current period.

If you require additional certificates during the period of the interim limit (regardless of whether your allocation was zero), you can make a request for exceptional consideration. However, there is no guarantee that your request will be granted.

You should only make a request if you want to assign a certificate to an existing or new migrant worker but you do not have enough (or any) available certificates.

For your request to be considered:

• you must be A-rated on all your sponsor licences for all tiers and categories when you submit the request; and
• the number of certificates requested must take into account any available certificates remaining in your existing allocation - if your interim allocation is not zero, you must explain how you have used or intend to use your existing certificate(s) when you make your request; and
• you must demonstrate that you have already undertaken a resident labour market test for any job that is not in a shortage occupation.

You must make your request using the Tier 2 (General) - request for initial or additional allocation of certificates of sponsorship form, explaining why you need the certificates. If you are a prospective sponsor, you should submit the completed form with your sponsor licence application supporting documents and submission sheet.

If you require a certificate for an existing worker's extension application, you should not make your request more than 60 days before their permission to stay is due to expire.

All requests from new and existing sponsors are considered in the same way, by a panel of UK Border Agency managers to ensure consistency of decision-making. The total number of certificates available for exceptional cases will be divided across each month of the interim limit period.

The panel meets on a monthly basis, normally on the 1st working day of the month. It considers all requests for exceptional consideration received on or before the 24th of the previous month. Requests from new sponsors are considered after the sponsor receives a decision on their application. (For example, if you apply for a sponsor licence on 19 December and your application is approved on 12 January, the February panel will consider your requiest for an initial allocation of certificates. If your licence application is the approved on 25 January, your request will be considered by the March panel.)

All requests for certificates for Tier 2 (General) extension applications will be approved. To qualify as an extension, the migrant worker must be currently employed by you and have permission to stay as a work permit holder or under Tier 2 (General). Other requests will be ranked according to criteria set out in the addendum to our Sponsor guidance for Tier 2 and Tier 5.

You will be told the panel's decision within 5 working days of the meeting. If your request has been successful, your account ofn the sponsorship management system will be updated. The panel's decision is final: there is no appeal or reconsideration process, but you can resubmit a request at any time.

Any certificate allocated to you following a request for exceptional consideration must be used for the role for which it was requested.

If you need an urgent decision before the next panel meeting, you should complete the form and submit as usual, clearly marking it as 'urgent'. You should also email limits@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk to tell us that you are making an urgent request. There must be a compelling reason for requesting urgent treatment (for example, because you are a newly licensed sponsor with a migrant worker whose permission to stay is due to expire before the next panel meeting). These urgent requests will be decided by the deputy director for sponsorship or a nominated deputy.

Sponsors with a B rating

All new sponsors, including those with a B rating, will initially receive a zero allocation of certificates. If you are an existing sponsor who is downgraded to a B rating during the period of the interim limit, your allocation of certificates will also be set to zero.

Your allocation will remain zero until you demonstrate your commitment to make improvements by signing up to and paying the fee for a sponsorship action plan. When you have paid the fee, we will give you an allocation of certificates until 5 April 2011 - but this may still be a zero allocation. You cannot make a request for exceptional consideration while you are B-rated.