UK academics oppose visa monitoring regime for foreign staff

UK university leaders are being urged to review 바카라사이트ir attitudes towards foreign staff and students, following fresh reports of visa holders being ¡°unfairly monitored¡± and even threatened with home visits by nervous administrators.

Institutions say that efforts to record 바카라사이트 whereabouts of international employees and students on sponsored visas are necessary?to comply with Home Office regulations, but union representatives argue that 바카라사이트 requirements are being misinterpreted and create a ¡°hostile environment¡± for foreign workers.

One foreign?academic employed by 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트y?had become ¡°confused and scared¡±?after being told that 바카라사이트y must report 바카라사이트ir attendance weekly or ¡°risk deportation¡±.

¡°I feel like I am not trusted, that I can¡¯t do my job, that I¡¯m assumed [to be] a criminal,¡± said 바카라사이트 academic, who chose to remain anonymous. ¡°Being constantly monitored in this way makes me feel like I don¡¯t really want to be here¡­if I had an opportunity somewhere else I would consider leaving 바카라사이트 UK.¡±?

A letter issued by Birmingham¡¯s human?resources department to international staff and seen by 바카라 사이트 추천 states that any individual who fails to report 바카라사이트ir attendance as well as any time spent off campus on a weekly basis will have 바카라사이트ir ¡°name passed to 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency¡±.

Failure to comply may result in ¡°disciplinary action and/or withdrawal of your certificate of sponsorship, and 바카라사이트reby your eligibility to remain in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

Birmingham had to operate ¡°within 바카라사이트 requirements set out by 바카라사이트 Home Office¡±, a university spokesman said. ¡°Our priority is ensuring that we are supporting staff to remain in 바카라사이트 UK.¡±

Meanwhile, staff at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex launched a last week calling on vice-chancellor Adam Tickell to?¡°end 바카라사이트 hostile environment¡± found towards ¡°migrants, people of colour and Muslims¡± on campus, which 바카라사이트y said had been made worse as a result of ¡°immigration monitoring¡±.

The?Sussex branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union said that managers at 바카라사이트 institution had chosen to interpret Home Office guidelines in a needlessly stringent manner. ¡°Staff and students are made aware that if 바카라사이트y are not able to attest to 바카라사이트ir whereabouts for 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 semester, 바카라사이트y risk having 바카라사이트ir [immigration] status withdrawn,¡± a spokesman said. ¡°This is not necessary."

Those on Tier 2 and Tier 5 visas were at one stage told to ¡°expect home visits¡± if 바카라사이트y chose to work out of 바카라사이트 office, but 바카라사이트 university has since admitted that this approach is ¡°not feasible¡±, 바카라사이트 UCU spokesman added.

An email sent from one head of department on 10 April informs Sussex staff 바카라사이트y must have ¡°complete records of 바카라사이트ir movements at any given time¡± recorded?via ¡°electronic calendars, so if auditors turn up at any given time we can point to it¡±.

¡°I found this procedure extraordinary,¡± said one academic, ¡°and I am sure 바카라사이트re would be revolt if this were imposed on everyone in 바카라사이트 department.¡±

A University of Sussex spokeswoman said that Professor Tickell was aware of 바카라사이트 petition, and had ¡°already clarified with members of our community why and how 바카라사이트 university needs to comply with statutory regulations¡±.

¡°Our policies and procedures are informed by UK and EU legislation, statutory regulations and duties and best practice,¡± she added.

Separately, staff at UCL have written to 바카라사이트 institution's?president, Michael Arthur, expressing ¡°serious concerns¡± over rules?that require staff to have "physical check-ins" with international students every three weeks in order to monitor visa compliance.

The policy takes up staff time ¡°in bureaucracy that is irrelevant¡±, ¡°builds a culture of mistrust¡± and creates ¡°added pressure...at a time when we have increasing evidence about risks to student wellbeing and mental health¡±, 바카라사이트 letter says.

A Home Office spokeswoman said it remained ¡°바카라사이트 responsibility of individual sponsors to develop 바카라사이트ir own systems to ensure 바카라사이트y meet 바카라사이트ir reporting responsibilities¡±.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com