New Changes to UK student visa (Tier 4) come into force

22nd April, 2011: The UK Border Agency today implemented the Tier 4 - the student tier - of the points-based system. The changes to the immigration rules were announced by the Home Secretary in a statement to Parliament on March 22.
The aim of the amended rules is to deliver a strong migration system which tackles immigration abuse, while allowing genuine students to study at authentic colleges, claimed UKBA.
Tougher entrance criteria, limits on work entitlements and the closure of the post-study work route are among the changes to the student visa system announced by Home Secretary Theresa May in March. A sample of Tier 4 students studying at private institutions had earlier revealed that 26 per cent of them could not be accounted for.
UKBA asserts as per the amended system from April 2012, any institution wanting to sponsor students will need to be classed as a Highly Trusted sponsor, and will need to become accredited by a statutory education inspection body by the end of 2012. The current system does not require this, and has allowed too many poor-quality colleges to become sponsors.
UKBA adds that the students coming to study at degree level will need to speak English at an 'upper intermediate' (B2) level, rather than the current 'lower intermediate' (B1) requirement.
UK Border Agency staff will be able to refuse entry to students who cannot speak English without an interpreter, and who therefore clearly do not meet the minimum standard.
According to the new system students at universities and publicly funded further education colleges will retain their current work rights, but all other students will have no right to work. The new rules will place restrictions on work placements in courses outside universities.
UKBA elaborates that only postgraduate students at universities and government-sponsored students will be able to bring their dependants. At the moment, all students on longer courses can bring their dependants.
UKBA is also limiting overall time that can be spent on a student visa to 3 years at lower levels (as it is now) and 5 years at higher levels. At present, there is no time limit for study at or above degree level.
The UKBA also propose to close the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, which allows students two years to seek employment after their course ends. Only graduates who have an offer of a skilled job from a sponsoring employer under Tier 2 of the points-based system will be able to stay to work.
The government had also vowed to develop a new entrepreneur route for bright and innovative students who have a business idea and want to make it work in the UK.

Trains carrying migrants stopped at border in France

18th April, 2011: The authorities in France have obstructed trains from Italy in an attempt to stop North African migrants from entering the country.  Trains carrying migrants and political activists have been stopped at the border – prompting Italy to launch an official complaint with its neighbour.


Italy gave provisional residence permits to thousands of Tunisian migrants. The permits allow them to travel freely in many European countries. The Italian foreign ministry said the French move was unlawful and in clear infringement of general European principles.

Maurizio Furia, a spokesman for the Italian rail company, said that trains were not being allowed to pass into Menton, France, from the Italian border station of Ventimiglia.

 The authorities in France assert migrants have to prove they can hold up themselves financially and has set up patrols on the Italian border.

But Italy authorities assert that France’s actions are in violation of the EU’s Schengen passport-free travel zone.

“We have given the migrants travel documents, and we gave everything (else) that is needed, and the European Commission recognised that, it has said that Italy is following the Schengen rules,” Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said in an interview on Italy’s Sky TG24 TV.

Italy and other European countries have been increasingly concerned about migration from North Africa following the political turmoil in the region.

Earlier this month, Italy and France agreed to launch sea and air patrols to try to prevent the influx of thousands of people from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Cameron to set out immigration plan--It will be more difficult for those on temporary visas to remain permanently in the UK

It will be more difficult for those on temporary visas to remain permanently in the UK


14 April 2011: Ending Britain's benefits culture and cutting immigration are "two sides of the same coin", the Prime Minister David Cameron will say he sets out the Government's plan to reduce the number of migrants coming to the UK.

Mr Cameron will say that foreign workers could not be blamed for snapping up jobs if the country's "woeful" benefits system meant many Britons did not need to work, but instead could live on state handouts.

The Government "would never control immigration properly if it didn't tackle welfare dependency". Mr Cameron will add he wants to see "good immigration, not mass immigration", with tighter controls on student visas and the number skilled workers coming to the UK.

It will also be more difficult for those on temporary visas to remain permanently in the UK and there will be "transitional" limits on the number of migrants from countries joining the European Union in the future.

Mr Cameron will say that by approaching the immigration debate "sensibly and reasonably", it will be possible to starve extremist parties of the "oxygen of public anxiety".

In a move designed to take the heat out of the immigration debate, Mr Cameron will claim that although three-quarters of the 2.5 million jobs created in the British economy since 1997 had been taken by foreign workers, it was "not a case of immigrants coming over here and taking our jobs".

He will say: "The real issue is this - migrants are filling gaps in the labour market left wide open by a welfare system that for years has paid British people not to work.

"That's where the blame lies - at the door of our woeful welfare system, and the last government who comprehensively failed to reform it. So, immigration and welfare reform are two sides of the same coin. Put simply, we will never control immigration properly unless we tackle welfare dependency.

"That's another powerful reason why this Government is undertaking the biggest shake-up of the welfare system for generations, making sure that work will always pay and ending the option of living a life on the dole when a life in work is possible."

Reacting to Mr Cameron's speech, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "He has made very big promises about the level of net migration he will achieve - but he hasn't set out workable, transparent policies to deliver it. As long as his big promises hide fudged policies and figures he is not being straight with people, and he is guilty of the very same failings he accuses others of in this speech."

UK Minimum wage to increase to £6.08/hr

/hr11th April 2011: The Government has accepted the independent Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations for this year’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates.

The following rates will come into effect on 1st October 2011: The adult rate will increase by 15p to £6.08 an hour; the rate for 18-20 year olds will increase by 6p to £4.98 an hour; the rate for 16-17 year olds will increase by 4p to £3.68 an hour; and the rate for apprentices will increase by 10p to £2.60 an hour.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “More than 890,000 of Britain’s lowest-paid workers will gain from these changes. They are appropriate - reflecting the current economic uncertainty while at the same time protecting the UK’s lowest-paid workers.”
He thanked the LPC “for doing a good job in difficult circumstances.”
Chairman of the LPC David Norgrove welcomed the Government’s acceptance of their recommendations. “The Commission was again unanimous, despite all the economic uncertainties. We believe we have struck the right balance between the needs of low-paid workers and the challenges faced by businesses.”
The government will invite the LPC in its next report to consider the best way to give business greater clarity on future levels of the National Minimum Wage, including consideration of two-year recommendations. This could provide greater certainty for businesses, reduce risks and help them plan employment and investment decisions.

Unlocking The Great Pyramid

UK Firms Looking to employ Unemployed Britons First

6th April 2011: As the annual immigration cap for workers from outside the EU comes into force, Immigration Minister Damian Green has made it clear that firms should look to hire unemployed Britons.


Green said they have made clear that as the recovery continues, they need employers to look first to people who are out of work and who are already in this country.

Green said they were overhauling all routes of entry to tackle abuses, make the system more effective and bring net migration back down to the tens of thousands.

The immigration minister has also claimed the new system was designed in consultation with business.

Entrepreneurs and investors could play a major part in the economic recovery and he wanted to do everything he could to ensure that Britain remains an attractive destination for them.

Last year they issued far too few visas to those who wished to set up a business or invest in the UK. Green said he intend to change that.


Prospective workers would need to have a graduate level job, speak intermediate English and meet specific salary requirements before being able to work in the UK. Anyone earning more than £150,000 would not be subject to the limit.

Watch ICC World Cup 2011 Live Streaming and Highlights

The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is the tenth Cricket World Cup and is being played in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. It is Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup. All matches in the World Cup will be accorded One Day International status, with all matches being played over 50 overs. Fourteen national cricket teams will compete in the tournament, including ten full members and four associate members. The World Cup will take place between February and early April 2011, with the first match played on 19 February 2011 with co-hosts India and Bangladesh facing off at theSher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. The opening ceremony was held on 17 February 2011 at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, two days before the start of the tournament, with the final on 2 April 2011 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The World Cup was also supposed to be co-hosted by Pakistan, but in the wake of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore, the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to strip Pakistan of its hosting rights. The headquarters of the organising committee were originally situated in Lahore, but have now been shifted to Mumbai. Pakistan was supposed to hold 14 matches, including one semi-final. Eight of Pakistan's matches were awarded to India, four to Sri Lanka and two to Bangladesh.

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Just click on the following below links for cricket Worldcup 2011 Highlights

Match	Date	Teams	Venue	Result / Highlights
1	19 Feb	India vs Bangladesh	Dhaka	India won by 87 runs | Highlights
2	20 Feb	New Zealand vs Kenya	Chennai	New Zealand won by 10 wickets | Highlights
3	20 Feb	Sri Lanka vs Canada	Hambantota	Sri Lanka won by 210 runs | Highlights
4	21 Feb	Australia vs Zimbabwe	Ahmedabad	Australia won by 91 runs | Highlights
5	22 Feb	England vs Netherlands	Nagpur	Eng won NL by 6 wickets
6	23 Feb	Pakistan vs Kenya	Hambantota	Pakistan won by 205 runs
7	24 Feb	South Africa vs West Indies	New Delhi	South Africa by 6 wickets
8	25 Feb	Australia vs New Zealand	Nagpur	Australia won by 7 wickets
9	25 Feb	Bangladesh vs Ireland	Dhaka	Bangladesh won by 27 runs
10	26 Feb	Sri Lanka vs Pakistan	Colombo	Pakistan won the match by 11 runs
11	27 Feb	India vs England	Bangalore*	Match Tie, Points shared b/w two teams
12	28 Feb	West Indies vs Netherlands	New Delhi	westindies won the game
13	28 Feb	Zimbabwe vs Canada	Nagpur
14	1 Mar	Sri Lanka vs Kenya	Colombo
15	2 Mar	England vs Ireland	Bangalore	Ireland Won the game by chasing 329 runs
16	3 Mar	South Africa vs Netherlands	Mohali	South Africa win by 231 Runs
17	3 Mar	Pakistan vs Canada	Colombo	Pakistan win by 46 runs
18	4 Mar	New Zealand vs Zimbabwe	Ahmedabad
19	4 Mar	Bangladesh vs West Indies	Dhaka
20	5 Mar	Sri Lanka vs Australia	Colombo
21	6 Mar	India vs Ireland	Bangalore
22	6 Mar	England vs South Africa	Chennai
23	7 Mar	Kenya vs Canada	New Delhi
24	8 Mar	Pakistan vs New Zealand	Pallekelle
25	9 Mar	India vs Netherlands	New Delhi
26	10 Mar	Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe	Pallekelle
27	11 Mar	West Indies vs Ireland	Mohali
28	11 Mar	Bangladesh vs England	Chittagong
29	12 Mar	India vs South Africa	Nagpur
30	13 Mar	New Zealand vs Canada	Mumbai
31	13 Mar	Australia vs Kenya	Bangalore
32	14 Mar	Pakistan vs Zimbabwe	Pallekelle
33	14 Mar	Bangladesh vs Netherlands	Chittagong
34	15 Mar	South Africa vs Ireland	Kolkata
35	16 Mar	Australia vs Canada	Bangalore
36	17 Mar	England vs West Indies	Chennai
37	18 Mar	Sri Lanka vs New Zealand	Mumbai
38	18 Mar	Ireland vs Netherlands	Kolkata
39	19 Mar	Australia vs Pakistan	Colombo
40	19 Mar	Bangladesh vs South Africa	Dhaka
41	20 Mar	Zimbabwe vs Kenya	Kolkata
42	20 Mar	India vs West Indies	Chennai
43	23 Mar	First Quarterfinal	Dhaka
44	24 Mar	Second Quarterfinal	Ahmedabad	India vs Australia, India won the match and went to semi finals with Pakisthan
45	25 Mar	Third Quarterfinal	Dhaka
46	26 Mar	Fourth Quarterfinal
47	29 Mar	First Semifinal	Colombo
48	30 Mar	Second Semifinal	Mohali
49	02 Apr	FINAL	Mumbai
*To be confirmed. Most probably it would be played in M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore).