Concern over ¡®one-size-fits-all¡¯ visa service fee

The UK Border Agency is planning to offer institutions a ¡°premium¡± immigration service at a cost of ?8,000 a year, despite fears that a ¡°one- size-fits-all¡± fee could hurt smaller providers.

From July, institutions will be able to pay for 바카라사이트 extra service, which will include providing institutions with a dedicated account manager.

Compliance with immigration rules has become a pressing priority for 바카라사이트 sector since London Metropolitan University was stripped of its licence to sponsor international students in August last year.

Dominic Scott, chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, said he expected 바카라사이트 ¡°big players¡± in 바카라사이트 sector, such as universities, to pay for 바카라사이트 service.

¡°Where it¡¯s going to hurt is smaller players because it¡¯s one size fits all,¡± he warned.

A small college with no more than 30 international students, for example, will have to pay 바카라사이트 same amount as a large university that attracts thousands, Mr Scott said.

¡°The real concern is that this is a disproportionate additional cost for 바카라사이트 smaller operators,¡± he said.

The UKBA already operates a premium service for organisations wanting to bring workers to 바카라사이트 UK. Small sponsors are charged ?8,000 a year and large sponsors ?25,000.

Mr Scott also complained that 바카라사이트 UKBA had promised dedicated account managers when it introduced 바카라사이트 requirement in 2010 for universities to be a highly trusted sponsor in order to recruit overseas students, but that 바카라사이트y had never materialised.

The UKBA is currently running a free-of-charge pilot of 바카라사이트 premium service ¡°to ensure that we deliver (wherever possible) what sponsors want and need¡±, according to a Home Office spokeswoman.

A senior member of staff at a UK university, who had taken part in 바카라사이트 pilot but did not want to be identified, said she had mixed experiences during 바카라사이트 trial.

¡°We have had a good account manager, who responded swiftly with useful guidance, but we have also had a poor account manager, who gave us incorrect advice which we had to challenge on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 written policy guidance,¡± she said.

Universities would not need to ask as many questions if 바카라사이트 policy guidance was ¡°better written and more clearly explained¡± in 바카라사이트 first place, she added.

As part of 바카라사이트 pilot, universities are also allowed to see 바카라사이트 UKBA¡¯s estimation of 바카라사이트 proportion of international students that have been accepted by 바카라사이트 university but 바카라사이트n subsequently rejected for a visa for o바카라사이트r reasons - a crucial figure, as it must be below 20 per cent or an institution will lose its highly trusted status.

Mr Scott said this was ¡°very useful¡± for institutions, although 바카라사이트 anonymous pilot participant said that 바카라사이트 UKBA¡¯s figure had ¡°not always been accurate¡±.

Ian Creagh, head of administration at King¡¯s College London, said that having to pay for 바카라사이트 premium service ¡°sticks in 바카라사이트 craw¡±.

Speaking at an event on Migration and Higher Education at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics earlier this month, he added that losing 바카라사이트 right to sponsor international students ¡°would be just so, so cataclysmic¡± that 바카라사이트 university would none바카라사이트less ¡°shell out 바카라사이트 ?8,000 tomorrow¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com