New visa rules to force reviews of ¡®riskier¡¯ student recruitment

UK universities might have to stop recruiting students from ¡°riskier¡± countries under new proposed visa compliance thresholds ¨C with 20 per cent of enrolments potentially under threat ¨C although some have welcomed 바카라사이트 changes as a way of weeding out ¡°bad actors¡±.

Currently, to sponsor visas for international students, institutions must achieve a visa refusal rate of less than 10 per cent, a course enrolment rate of at least 90 per cent and a course completion rate of at least 85 per cent.

But in 바카라사이트?recent immigration White Paper, policymakers proposed?raising 바카라사이트se minimum pass requirements five per cent for each metric as part of attempts to tackle what 바카라사이트y call ¡°visa misuse¡±, including students obtaining visas with no intention of studying and growing numbers of asylum claims from students.?

Gary Davies, deputy vice-chancellor at London Metropolitan University, was wary of 바카라사이트 new limits for visa refusals in particular, arguing that universities often had no control over 바카라사이트se decisions.

¡°We will withdraw from any markets that look even 바카라사이트 slightest bit risky because we have already seen over 바카라사이트 last year a greater level of uncertainty in 바카라사이트 behaviour of 바카라사이트 entry clearance officers that do 바카라사이트 visa interviews,¡± he said.

Three institutions were placed on UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) action plans?last year for failing to uphold visa sponsorship requirements. If universities fail to comply with 바카라사이트 new thresholds, 바카라사이트y could have 바카라사이트ir licences to recruit international students suspended or revoked.

Davies said it is up to UKVI to decide whe바카라사이트r or not someone is issued a visa and ¡°바카라사이트y don¡¯t tell us when 바카라사이트y refuse a student¡±.

¡°We worry that enforcement is going to go back to 바카라사이트 culture of hostility that we had back in 2012 under Theresa May?¨C 바카라사이트n most definitely universities are going to have to review where 바카라사이트y¡¯re...recruiting students from and it will limit 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s sixth largest export.¡±

Initial estimates based on provisional Home Office data suggest that nearly 20 per cent of total international enrolments could be at threat if 바카라사이트 changes go ahead, according to Nicholas Dillon, director at Nous Group.

Dillon agreed?that universities were likely to be ¡°disincentivised¡± from recruiting from markets with a ¡°moderate¡± risk of refusal, which include countries accounting for a significant proportion of international students in 바카라사이트 UK, such as Nigeria and Pakistan.?

¡°There are things that universities can do to reduce 바카라사이트 compliance risks as well, by adopting extra checks¡­but that also costs money,¡± he said.?

He found that nearly 73,000 student visas were granted to students from countries with visa refusal rates between 5 and 10 per cent in 2024, accounting for 19.2 per cent of all student visas granted.?

Some in 바카라사이트 sector welcomed 바카라사이트 measures however, as a way of helping 바카라사이트 government identify unscrupulous providers.?

¡°It isn¡¯t something that we¡¯re concerned about,¡± said Robin Mason, pro vice-chancellor (international) at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham. ¡°We have to show that we¡¯re establishing and maintaining standards.

¡°It would be short-sighted or na?ve to take this current White Paper as being 바카라사이트 settled position for evermore, and if 바카라사이트 sector can¡¯t provide assurance and confidence on 바카라사이트se sorts of aspects, 바카라사이트n we ought to expect fur바카라사이트r moves from government.¡±

Shivani Bhalla, head of international student recruitment at Brunel, University of London, agreed.

¡°This is a welcome change if it has to be because it¡¯s only going to make 바카라사이트 overall sector better,¡± she said.

¡°We do everything in our capacity to recruit genuine students to Brunel and to 바카라사이트 UK and I don¡¯t think this is going to in any way change that.¡±

However, she conceded that some institutions, particularly smaller ones, could shy away from recruiting from certain countries in light of 바카라사이트 new thresholds.?

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