UK launches consultation on major reforms of student visa system
Thursday, 9 December 2010
The British government Tuesday started consultation on reforms of student entry to the United Kingdom (UK) aimed at stopping abuse of student visa, reports UNB.
A release of the British High Commission (HC) in Dhaka said the consultation will continue until 31 January, 2011. The UK government wants a student visa system which will attract the top students to the UK's top universities, but which is more selective and more robust.
While launching the consultation, Immigration Minister Damian Green said he believes attracting talented students from abroad is vital to the UK "but we must be more selective about who can come here and how long they can stay."
Green said people imagine students to be those who come here for a few years to study at university and then go home. "But that is not always the case. Too many students coming to study below degree level have been coming here to live and work, rather than study. We need to stop this abuse."
"Today's proposals follow a major review of the system, and are aimed at a more selective system and, crucially, reducing the numbers to meet our target of reducing net migration to sustainable levels.
A release of the British High Commission (HC) in Dhaka said the consultation will continue until 31 January, 2011. The UK government wants a student visa system which will attract the top students to the UK's top universities, but which is more selective and more robust.
While launching the consultation, Immigration Minister Damian Green said he believes attracting talented students from abroad is vital to the UK "but we must be more selective about who can come here and how long they can stay."
Green said people imagine students to be those who come here for a few years to study at university and then go home. "But that is not always the case. Too many students coming to study below degree level have been coming here to live and work, rather than study. We need to stop this abuse."
"Today's proposals follow a major review of the system, and are aimed at a more selective system and, crucially, reducing the numbers to meet our target of reducing net migration to sustainable levels.