Proposed UK immigration laws will change education, say legal experts

Proposals to change the UK Student Visa regime have meant colleges could have to cut recruitment of foreign students and move much of their international work overseas, a survey has found.

UK Visa

Changes to UK Visa rules for students will change the way education colleges do business.

The survey by the international law firm Eversheds found that three in 10 colleges and universities are considering setting up a campus overseas and more than 90 per cent believe that increased collaboration with foreign colleges is likely.

The UK immigration proposals to crack down on bogus colleges and toughen Student Visa rules threaten an industry that brought in £42million in foreign earnings in 2008/09. Further education is expected to be hardest hit by the proposed changes.

The proposals under consultation include cutting the number of UK Student Visas granted to those wanting to attend sub-degree courses, raising the English language requirement and restricting the rights of students to work while in the UK.

Further education advocates say the danger of toughening UK Visa rules for students and achieving a blanket reduction in net migration overall is far reaching, not only for the education sector but the country as a whole.

The Association of Colleges currently is working with its members to collate a full response to the UKBA consultation document.
The UK immigration consultation closes on 31 January.

The UK Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their UK Visa applications to the British High Commission.