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.
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.
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.
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."
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.