Student visas
House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, 2011
In this report, the Committee :- Notes the importance of the Post-Study Work route in attracting students to the UK and disagrees with the Government proposal to close it.
- Suggests alternatives to the Government's proposals on language requirements, specifically a permanent change to the parameters of the student visitor visa so that it can be used as a viable route for all of those attending pre-degree programmes.
- Supports the Government's proposals to tighten the accreditation of language schools but is concerned that Government approval of the current accreditation bodies has lapsed. The Committee calls for a single streamlined accreditation system.
- Agrees that any cap on student visas is unnecessary and undesirable.
- The Committee notes that progress has been made on closing down bogus language schools and supports the Government's intention to crack down on bogus colleges and bogus students.
- Is not persuaded that students are migrants, as defined by the UN and suggests that students ought to be excluded from net migration numbers.
- Raises concerns that the data used in assessing migration figures are not fit for purpose and could inhibit effective policy making. The implementation of a new data collection system needs to be a priority for the Government.
- Intends to further examine the regulation of the student immigration system as part of its ongoing scrutiny of the United Kingdom Border Agency.
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