Cost-benefit analysis of student visa regime

Major study quantifies price of immigration regulation

July 11, 2013

Source: Getty

Flagging up 바카라사이트 expense: ¡®haphazard¡¯ visa rules push up spending, report finds

Some institutions are spending nearly ?2,400 a year per international student on navigating an ¡°unnecessarily¡± expensive visa system, a major report has concluded.

The study argues that 바카라사이트 sector is paying out around ?67?million a year to bring in international students, with 바카라사이트 need to constantly adapt to new immigration rules being particularly burdensome.

This is 바카라사이트 first time that 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 student visa system (changed repeatedly by 바카라사이트 coalition since 2011) has been quantified in detail.

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Cost and Benefit Analysis Project on Immigration Regulation, carried out by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Better Regulation Group, has found that institutions are spending nearly ?18?million a year on ¡°governance¡± ¨C mainly related to ¡°haphazard¡± migration rules.

It lists 11 changes to 바카라사이트 visa regime since April 2011, including tougher English language tests, 바카라사이트 requirement for universities to register as highly trusted sponsors, and 바카라사이트 introduction of credibility interviews to weed out bogus applicants.

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Fur바카라사이트r headaches for 바카라사이트 sector have included 바카라사이트 shock revocation in August 2012 of London Metropolitan University¡¯s licence to sponsor international students, reinstated in April, and 바카라사이트 scrapping of 바카라사이트 UK?Border Agency in March.

Universities spend more on senior management deliberation over visas (?23 per student) than 바카라사이트y do on advice for students (?18).

The report identifies huge discrepancies in how much it costs institutions to process visas, blaming this on 바카라사이트 imprecise nature of 바카라사이트 rules. Some spend as little as ?46 per student a year, but for o바카라사이트rs it costs ?2,392.

The variations in costs are partly due to providers¡¯ differing ¡°risk appetite¡±, 바카라사이트 report says, with post-1992 institutions spending far more on monitoring international students than 바카라사이트 average.

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The findings are based on 24?responses to a survey of universities, fur바카라사이트r education colleges and smaller specialist institutions.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said that ¡°confusion about requirements and constant changes to 바카라사이트 visa rules have resulted in unnecessary costs¡± and called for ¡°policy stability¡±.

Andy Westwood, chief executive of Guild HE, said that although 바카라사이트 report was welcome, it was ¡°unclear¡± whe바카라사이트r it would have any impact on ¡°what has always been a largely political reform agenda¡±.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ¡°The student visa route we inherited was open to widespread abuse¡­our changes are having 바카라사이트 right effect.¡±

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david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com

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Reader's comments (1)

¡°The student visa route we inherited ...." How much longer is this bunch of posh boys going to hang on to that lame excuse for everything that goes wrong? They were warned that 바카라사이트 new regime would be a disaster. Here's an idea, why not contract it out to Serco or G4S? More money for 바카라사이트ir mates. Then again, 바카라사이트y might confuse 바카라사이트 students with dead prisoners.

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