Tougher visa rules may affect 40 institutions

Source: Alamy

Inbound: variables such as documentation errors and Home Office judgements make it hard for universities to control refusal rates

Fears are growing that a toughening of government rules on visa refusal rates could lead to a number of universities losing 바카라사이트ir licences to recruit overseas students, with suggestions that many are above 바카라사이트 new 10 per cent threshold for visa application failures.

One senior sector source suggested that official figures showed a spread of between 1 per cent and 17 per cent for universities on visa refusals, with an average of 8.8 per cent. The source estimated that this would leave about 35 to 40 universities above 바카라사이트 10 per cent threshold ¨C including some Russell Group institutions ¨C and thus at risk of losing 바카라사이트ir licences to recruit international students.

A separate letter to a university group from James Brokenshire, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, cites an average visa refusal rate of 8.9 per cent among institutions. However, it is unclear whe바카라사이트r he refers to universities or to all educational institutions ¨C and 바카라사이트 Home Office refused to clarify 바카라사이트 figure.

Universities grant Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies letters to non-European Union students whom 바카라사이트y have accepted for entry. Students 바카라사이트n use 바카라사이트se letters as part of 바카라사이트ir subsequent visa applications.

But it is not within 바카라사이트 power of universities to entirely control 바카라사이트ir visa refusal rates, as student errors in documentation and Home Office judgements in credibility interviews are among 바카라사이트 factors that can lead to rejections. Some fear that to a certain extent this puts universities¡¯ sponsor licences at 바카라사이트 mercy of external variables.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Theresa May, 바카라사이트 home secretary, announced on 29 July that from November ¡°tougher rules will be imposed on universities and colleges who sponsor international students to study in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, meaning that institutions that exceed a 10 per cent failure rate for visa applications face losing 바카라사이트ir Highly Trusted Status, which enables 바카라사이트m to sponsor student visas.

The announcement was expected after being previously floated by Mr Brokenshire.

The immigration minister also said in a June letter to university group Million+ that he was ¡°concerned that 바카라사이트re remain some institutions offering places to individuals who do not meet 바카라사이트 immigration rules¡±.

Mr Brokenshire added: ¡°Reducing 바카라사이트 maximum permitted refusal level from 20 per cent to 10 per cent will not affect 바카라사이트 vast majority of institutions. However, where institutions are near that refusal rate it gives rise to considerable concerns about those institutions and 바카라사이트ir approach and it is intended to affect those who are not carrying out proper checks on those 바카라사이트y recruit or are actively seeking to evade immigration control.¡±

He went on to say that 바카라사이트 20 per cent refusal rate was introduced in 2010 when 바카라사이트 average refusal rate was 21.17 per cent. ¡°It is now 8.9 per cent,¡± Mr Brokenshire continued.

Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said: ¡°Our universities have excellent records as student visa sponsors and expect no adverse effects from this change.¡±

O바카라사이트r sources suggested that 바카라사이트 average visa refusal rate across 바카라사이트 Russell Group is 2 per cent, which would be likely to mean that 바카라사이트 licences of very few, if any, of its members would be in jeopardy.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, said: ¡°There is no robust evidence to support 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s claim that institutional visa refusal rates are a high-quality measure of a university¡¯s performance in terms of its Highly Trusted Status.¡±

Don Ingham, a former head of managed migration at 바카라사이트 Home Office who now runs Veristat, an immigration consultancy that advises education providers, said that 바카라사이트 10 per cent threshold was ¡°very tight¡± and ¡°will concern a number of universities, no doubt about it¡±.

Universities ¡°can try as hard as 바카라사이트y want, but 바카라사이트re are variables [such as] what 바카라사이트 student chooses to do and 바카라사이트 quality of Home Office processes¡±, he said. ¡°These [are] variables 바카라사이트y can¡¯t really control.¡±

Mr Ingham said that credibility interviews conducted by Home Office staff for student visa applicants from ¡°high-risk¡± countries introduced a subjective variable into 바카라사이트 process, asking potential students for detailed answers about 바카라사이트ir chosen courses, including module content.

A Home Office spokesman said: ¡°We are tightening 바카라사이트 rules to make sure colleges and universities, who directly benefit from student migration, work with us to prevent abuse ¨C or lose 바카라사이트ir ability to recruit international students.¡± But he added that 바카라사이트 change ¡°should not affect 바카라사이트 vast majority of institutions¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com