Tier 4
Inclusion of International students in net migration figures
A report published by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) has recommended that international students are excluded from the overall net migration figures. IPPR argue that only 15% of the overseas students that stay to work permanently in the UK should be counted within the net migration figures, which measure the long-ter, flow of migrants in and out of UK.
University heads urge government to review immigration policy
A letter circulated by Universities UK, signed by 68 chancellors, governors and university presidents, urges the government to remove university students from net migration figures to help drive the economy and boost university income.
They also request that the government sends a clear message to genuine international students that they are valued and are welcome in the UK.
You can read the letter sent by Universities UK here.
This call for a change of direction on the part of the Government was rejected by the Immigration Minister, Damian Green http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18259626
UK visa rules for students are costing Universities/Colleges £millions
A committee of MPs has been advised that universities and colleges are spending millions of pounds to adhere to the UK government's new student visa rules.
MPs are investigating the issue of student visas after a report published in March by the National Audit Office (NAO) found serious errors in the implementation of the changes by UKBA.
Reform agenda for Higher Education - Strategic role of HR
A report published by Universities Human Resources (UHR) discusses the importance of HR in creating value in these challenging times to the benefit of both the institution and its stakeholders.
The report addresses both the recruitment of international students and employment of international workers, encouraging a proactive internationalisation agenda.
The full report can be viewed at the following link:
Tier 1 and 2
Eurozone Crisis - Government plans to restrict migration
The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has announced that the Home Office is working on plans to restrict migration to the UK if the Eurozone Crisis deteriorates further leading to large numbers of people travelling from Europe to the UK to work. At present it is unclear how this might be achieved if countries leave the Eurozone but remain part of the EU.
General Immigration Matters
UKBA publishes list of acceptable financial institutions
The UK Border Agency has published lists of accepted financial institutions that they accept financial statements from for the purpose of verifying applicant's maintenance funds under the points-based system.
These lists can be downloaded from the following link:
Full right of appeal to be removed for Family Visitors
A clause in the Crime and Courts Bill will remove the full right of appeal for those applying to enter the UK as a family visitor. Refused applicants will still be able to appeal on limited grounds of human rights or race discrimination.
Subject to Parliamentary approval and Royal Assent, this change will come into effect from 2014.
Visa facilitation improvements can create jobs and boost economies
A report published by the World Travel & Tourism recommends that improvements be made to visa facilitation to help create millions of jobs in G20 economies.
Preliminary findings showed that 110 million of the 656 million international tourists who visited G20 countries in 2011 needed a visa, whilst millions were deterred from travelling because of the cost, waiting time and difficulties in obtaining visas.
New screening to tackle Tuberculosis in UK
A pilot scheme is being undertaken to introduce a pre-entry Tuberculosis (TB) screening programme.
The new measures mean that migrants from 67 countries with a high incidence of TB, who want to enter the UK for more than 6 months, will need to be screened before they are granted a visa to come to the UK.
A full list of the countries currently covered by the pre-screening pilot programme can be viewed at the following link:
Detention of Child Asylum Seekers
A report by the Refugee Council accuses the UKBA of continuing to detain child asylum seekers by incorrectly classifying them as adults. The Refugee Council recognises the difficulty in establishing the age of the child but recommends all children be referred to a social worker so a proper assessment can be made.
There has been a drop in the number of unaccompanied child asylum seekers arriving in the UK - from 3,645 in 2007 to 1,277 in 2011.
The full report can be downloaded here.
Degrading conditions for detained children at Heathrow
The Heathrow Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has reported that children of all ages are being detained for immigration purposes in unacceptable conditions at Heathrow airport.
The IMB reported that children were being held for several hours in small rooms with no natural light and often share the space with unrelated adults.
Changes to Visa Services
From 7 May 2012, UKBA is introducing a priority visa service in Jakarta. This service will be available to applicants who meet specific criteria and who pay an additional fee to have their application processed quicker than others. Other posts and countries in which priority visa services are being introduced during the course of May and June include Islamabad, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia.
Albania
Due to rule changes recently introduced by the Albanian government, non-biometric Albanian passports are no longer accepted for travel outside Albania. As a result, Albanian nationals applying for a UK visa must use their biometric passport when making their visa application.
Veristat Services
HTS applications and immigration support
For support in complying with UKBA requirements, including applications for Highly Trusted Sponsor status, see our website www.veristat.co.uk and contact us at enquiries@veristat.co.uk.
Veristat provides a wide range of services to education providers through compliance audits, advice packages, assessment of intent and recruitment. Please contact us for a no commitment discussion if you think you would benefit from any of these services at enquiries@veristat.co.uk.
Entrepreneur Visits
We are working with InvestUK (http://www.investukvisa.com) to provide immigration and investment support to applicants seeking leave to enter or remain as an entrepreneur under Tier 1 of the PBS. For further information please contact enquiries@veristat.co.uk or enquiries@investukvisa.com.
Forgery and Document Checking
Our aim is to assist employers in understanding the documents presented to them. We offer passport and identity card advice from ex-immigration officers who have had decades of experience dealing with passports from many different nations at the busiest ports and airports in the world.
We also offer a wide range of training for sponsors tailored to meet your needs. The training can be undertaken on your own premises.
Contact us for further information on enquiries@veristat.co.uk.
