8th Feb 10

UK Government tighten student visa regulations

by Harry Oldfield

The Government has announced that less student visas will be issued to foreign students under tougher rules to prevent would-be immigrants abusing the system.

In the crackdown, students would have to be required to pass a more difficult English test to be issued with a visa, and applications from outside the EU would have to attain levels close to GCSE level.

Students on short courses will not be able to bring dependants, and students who wish to take non-degree courses will be allowed to work only 10 hours per week.

Home secretary Alan Johnson said the curbing of the points-based system, introduced last year, did not send a message that overseas students were not welcome.  The Conservatives said the student visa system had been the ‘biggest hole in border controls’ and called for tighter regulations.

The proposed changes follow a review sparked by concerns in the rise of student applications from some parts of the world.

He went on to say that the UK will be open to foreign students who wish to come to the UK for legitimate study, but the government would come down hard on those who flout the rules.

Statistics show that about 30 per cent of migrants are on student visas, along with a growing number of adults taking short courses.  A total of 240,000 student visas were issued in 2008-2009.

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