Tougher days ahead for foreign students in UK

*On cards, a review of student visas 
*Students undertaking non-degree level courses to face stringent rules.

22nd November 2010: It’s getting tougher by the day for the students.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron reiterated he would stick by his election promise and numbers of immigrants would be cut to ‘tens of thousands’ a year.

Cameron said it was ‘perfectly possible’ to meet the pledge; and this would be done by slashing the number of non-EU students and people allowed to settle in the UK, as well as the cap on foreign workers.

The announcement would be backed by a review of student visas. With this, those seeking to undertake non-degree level courses are expected to face more stringent rules.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said this would be done by slashing the number of non-EU students and people allowed to settle in the UK, as well as the cap on foreign workers.

Even as it is now clear that simply lazy or just incapable Britons have paved way for the migrant workers in the job sector, the UK Prime Minister has taken a serious view of immigrants landing up with jobs for which Britons have the same skill. He has decided to crack down on widespread abuse of the visa system.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions illustrate more than 30,000 British care assistants and home carers were out of work – yet almost 1,700 were brought into the UK in a year to March 2010. Although there were more than 4,500 software professionals claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, more than 1,000 were recruited from abroad.

The announcement came after the official figures were interpreted to reflect thousands of non-EU workers were taking up jobs for which large number of jobless Britons had the same skills.

A research also found that workers granted visas for so called ‘highly-skilled’ posts ended up employed in fast-food outlets, warehouses and doing jobs such as mixing concrete.

The officials also doubted on claims by businesses that they would be unable to cope up with the process, if the Government placed a strict cap on economic migration.

The research also reflected, out of the permits made available under the current interim cap, which came into force this summer, only 39 per cent had been assigned.

Just three of the 10 businesses that traditionally brought in the largest number of non-EU workers have used more than 50 per cent of the permits available to them.

The immigrants coming in on student visas to study at bogus colleges and then overstaying has been a matter of concern in the past also.

The Prime Minister said he was sticking to his promise to reduce net migration to Britain – the difference between the number of migrants arriving and those leaving – to ‘tens of thousands’. Net migration currently stands at almost 200,000.

Cameron said the big picture depicted that immigration between Britain and the rest of the EU was pretty much in balance.

Cameron further added it was between Britain and the rest of the world where it was out of balance. 

Categories: Careers , Immigration