Monday, 2 February 2015

Immigration News - February 2015

Education


Tier 4 interviews and genuine student rule (GSR)

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have updated section 245V(k) of their guidance on Tier 4 interviews and genuine student rule (GSR). The guidance describes how an Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) will consider an application, including examples of the types of questions that may be used in interviews.

The updated guidance can be viewed here.




Tier 4 sponsor suspensions - update

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have updated their factsheet about the action taken against education institutions since June 2014.

Students from the institutions listed in this document can use the Course Information Tool (CIT) to find information about courses that licensed Tier 4 sponsors are offering to students wishing to find a new sponsor, in order to continue their studies in the UK. As of 6 January 2015, there were 65 education institutions on this list.

The updated factsheet can be viewed here.


Working in the UK



Home Secretary's plans to send students home are short-sighted: James Dyson

Writing in the Guardian, James Dyson refers to Theresa May's latest "ploy" to require international students to return home after qualifying as "a short-term vote winner that leads to long-term economic decline"; and that whilst "binning" foreign postgraduates may be a "quick fix...quick fixes don't build long-term futures."

Dyson refers to estimates that Britain will need "640,000 extra engineering minds by 2020" whilst the home-grown postgraduate population in science and engineering is "pitifully thin"; and also recognises that international students net Britain nearly £7bn each year. Sending them home may provide good value for competitor nations but in Dyson's view, "our education system should be a tool to import the world's greatest minds. And, most importantly, to keep them here, so our economy - and our culture - benefits."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/04/theresa-may-foreign-postgraduates-students-qualification-vote-dyson?commentpage=1

Management Today subsequently reported that the Home Secretary's plans had been quashed by the Chancellor, George Osborne, but we wait to see whether they re-emerge in a different form.


Restricted certificate allocations (January 2015)

The restricted certificates allocation for January 2015 published by UKVI can be viewed here. The figures show that all valid applications for restricted CoS which score the minimum 32 points continue to be granted with carry-overs from the previous month(s).

General Immigration Matters


Recognising fraudulent identity documents

The National Document Fraud Unit has updated their basic guide to forgery awareness on recognising fraudulent identity documents.

The revised guide can be viewed here.



Application for certificate showing right of abode

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have updated their guide on right of abode in the UK and applications for certificate of entitlement.

The updated 'right of abode' guidance can be viewed here.




Victims of domestic violence

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have published updated modernised guidance for how they consider applications from people who have been victims of domestic violence.

The 'destitution domestic violence (DDV) concession' section has been reworded.

The updated modernised guidance can be viewed here.

    Unregulated immigration advice by Moldovan accountant

    A Moldolvan accountant has been fined £2,000 for 8 counts for providing illegal advice to applicants obtaining work and resident permits.

    The press release can be viewed here.





    Migrant voters in 2015 General Election

    A record number of people (est. 4 million) who were born outside the UK will be eligible to vote in this year's general election.

    The Migrant's Right Network (MRN) has published a report on migrant voters in the 2015 General Election. This report analyses the potential impact of migrant voters on its outcome.

    You can read the full report by MRN here.







    Veristat Services



    Compliance checks and reducing visa refusals


    Veristat's HTS Health Check is a one or two day objective, external review covering key areas likely to arise during a Home Office visit together with examples of good practice drawn from over 5 years' experience of conducting compliance audits for schools, colleges and universities.

    For further information please contact don@veristat.co.uk


    Training for employers


    We are increasingly being asked to provide training on Right to Work and/or Tier 2 sponsor duties.

    These are normally half day courses conducted on your premises for a standard charge of £400 regardless of the number of people attending. If you think your organisation would benefit from training in either or both of these areas, please contact us for a no commitment discussion of your requirements by telephone on 0844 335 1619 or by email at enquiries@veristat.co.uk


    Online Right to Work Learning and Assessment


    We have also now set up an online review of employer right to work checks with a self-assessment. The package is priced at £39 plus VAT and provides a comprehensive introduction to UKVI's requirements for checking employees' right to work and 20 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 100 to enable you to test your learning. It is suitable for both small and large employers, with reductions for higher numbers of users and the potential to incorporate onto your own online learning platform.

    Contact helen@veristat.co.uk or call 0844 335 1619 for further information.


    LinkedIn 'HR Immigration' Group


    We have set up a 'HR Immigration' group on LinkedIn, which aims to provide a networking space for UK employers and HR/recruitment professionals to share and discuss news and best practice about current UK immigration issues.

    To join this group please go to http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=6537658

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