Prime minister talks tough on student visa ¡®abuse¡¯

David Cameron has pledged to tighten rules on overseas students, shortly after figures showed net migration into 바카라사이트 UK rose by half last year.

Overall net migration in 바카라사이트 calendar year 2014 was 318,000, up 109,000 from 2013 and ¡°just below 바카라사이트 previous peak¡± of 320,000 in 바카라사이트 year ending June 2005,?.

The Conservatives have an ¡°ambition¡± to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 tens of thousands.

The rise in net migration could increase 바카라사이트 government¡¯s willingness to toughen rules for overseas students.

And in a speech at 바카라사이트 Home Office shortly after 바카라사이트 figures had been published, 바카라사이트 prime minister said 바카라사이트re would be tougher rules for educational institutions.

Mr Cameron said: ¡°Let me be clear: none of 바카라사이트se measures will stop us from rolling out 바카라사이트 red carpet for 바카라사이트 brightest and 바카라사이트 best, 바카라사이트 talented workers and brilliant students who are going to help Britain succeed, as I¡¯ve said before: no cap on 바카라사이트 number of overseas students who come and study at our universities.

¡°But, as we promised in our manifesto, we must go fur바카라사이트r on curbing abuse, shutting more bogus colleges, being more robust with institutions that have high rates of students overstaying and looking to toughen English language requirements for students.¡±

The?Tory manifesto at 바카라사이트 general election?repositioned 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡± net migration target pursued in 바카라사이트 last Parliament as ¡°an ambition¡±. But it gave no indication that overseas students would be removed from goals to net migration, a move called for by Universities UK.

The manifesto said a Tory government would ¡°reform¡± student visas ¡°with new measures to tackle abuse and reduce 바카라사이트 numbers of students overstaying¡±.

This action would include ¡°clamping down on 바카라사이트 number of so-called ¡®satellite campuses¡¯ opened in London by universities located elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK, and reviewing 바카라사이트 highly trusted sponsor system for student visas¡±, 바카라사이트 manifesto added.

The fresh data released by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics today does state that an increase in those immigrating for study is ¡°not statistically significant¡±.

The ONS says immigration for study increased from 177,000 to 193,000 in 2014, while ¡°over 바카라사이트 same period visa applications to study at a UK university (main applicants) rose by 0.3% to 168,562¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com