Tough UK visa rules for foreign students
by Christine M - February 8, 2010
United Kingdom, February 8: Tougher visa rules will be introduced by the UK government in a clampdown on the immigration system.
The campaign is a part of several measures to be introduced for those whose real intention by getting a UK student visa is to get job in the country.
Genuine students welcomed into UK-
Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary of the UK, said the country is, meanwhile, open to all overseas genuine students who aim to study and get back and not work and stay in the UK forever.
In one such measure, the government has already ordered for closure of nearly 200 UK colleges which were found to be bogus. These colleges and institutes had no proper courses for the students and their main aim was to enable overseas students gain entry into the UK.
New rules target Indian and Muslim students—
The new set of rules by the UK government will be applicable to students from countries outside the EU (European Union) including the US (United States). However, the main target of such rules will the Indian applicants for student visa and those from Muslim and Arab countries since a large number of applicants from such places have been found to be bogus candidates.
The British officials assert that the concern behind changes in UK immigration policy is to put a curb on the increasing abuse of UK visas by the overseas students who use this as a mode to stay permanently in Britain.
While talking in a BBC interview, Alan Johnson, who is in charge of the domestic security of the country, said it will be of utmost importance to ensure that any of the changes in the UK immigration policy do not, in any way, render damage to UK’s economy, since the overseas education sector brings in $8 billion to $13 billion revenue every year into the UK.
Hence as per the new rules ---
• The students will be required to have fluency in spoken English equivalent to clear the British high school exams;
• Tight vigil on UK colleges to eliminate bogus colleges;
• No provision of bringing along family members if the duration of courses is less than 6 months.
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