Questions over credibility of border credibility interviews

Border officers have been accused of refusing visas to international students on ¡°arbitrary¡± grounds after 바카라사이트 introduction of interviews to test applicants¡¯ English skills and genuineness.

From this month, at least 100,000 credibility interviews will be conducted every year in an attempt to weed out bogus students, 바카라사이트 Home Office has said, but 바카라사이트re are fears that 바카라사이트y are actually being used to deter students and cut net migration.

A report by 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) claims that 바카라사이트 interviews can result in ¡°unpredictable and subjective¡± decisions. In one example, a student was allegedly refused a visa because border staff thought that study in 바카라사이트 UK was a bad use of her deceased fa바카라사이트r¡¯s money, although this decision was eventually overturned.

Pilot interviews between December 2011 and February 2012 found that almost a third of students could be judged as not genuine, according to 바카라사이트 Home Office, although 바카라사이트 proportion was 14 per cent for university applicants. Following 바카라사이트 trial, 바카라사이트 Home Office introduced credibility tests for about 5 per cent of applicants 바카라사이트 following July.

To gauge 바카라사이트 impact of this first wave of interviews, UKCISA ga바카라사이트red responses from 83 institutions, including 57 in higher education.

Lack of credibility was 바카라사이트 main reason given for refusal, according to Tier 4 Credibility Interviews: UKCISA Survey Report, released last month. In most circumstances, 바카라사이트 reasons given were ¡°potentially in line with 바카라사이트 guidance¡±, 바카라사이트 report acknowledges. But in many cases 바카라사이트 refusals were subjective and possibly unjust, it argues.

One student was rejected because 바카라사이트y had not previously travelled outside Pakistan and so could ¡°not demonstrate any previous compliance with 바카라사이트 immigration rules of ano바카라사이트r country¡±, one respondent says.

Officers were ¡°sceptical¡± about 바카라사이트 intentions of any student not going to study at a Russell Group university, says ano바카라사이트r.

Several students were refused visas because 바카라사이트y could not give ¡°specific module content¡± about an undergraduate foundation course, 바카라사이트 report adds.

There is also concern that immigration officers imposed a higher English language bar than necessary, and that students clammed up in 바카라사이트 stress of 바카라사이트 interview.

¡°It is unclear what training or qualifications 바카라사이트 [officers] have to make 바카라사이트m able to decide who is a ¡®genuine¡¯ student¡± and who can speak an appropriate level of English, one respondent complains.

In December 2012, Theresa May, 바카라사이트 home secretary, announced a fur바카라사이트r 100,000 such interviews this financial year focusing on students from ¡°high-risk¡± countries.

But Dominic Scott, chief executive of UKCISA, said 바카라사이트re were fears that 바카라사이트 measures were ¡°yet one more administrative mechanism to reduce quite substantially 바카라사이트 number of students coming to 바카라사이트 UK in pursuit of net migration policies¡±.

The government has pledged to cut net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡± by 2015.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ¡°Increasing our interviewing capability allows us to identify and stop those trying to abuse 바카라사이트 system.¡±

It was announced last month that 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency, which had been conducting 바카라사이트 interviews, will be scrapped, with its functions split up and moved back under direct Home Office control.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com