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UKBA to interview Pakistani students

All Pakistani students applying for UK visas will face a compulsory interview according to news reports, as part of a crackdown on “bogus” students the UK Border Agency hopes to extend to applicants from other countries.

As a first step, compulsory interviews will be held in Pakistan.

Previous immigration rules assessed applicants’ ability to speak English on the basis of their written application form alone. But, a secret pilot study by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) requiring interviews with consular officials reveals that up to 40% of Pakistani students could be ineligible based on their poor English skills.

“Britain is open for business to the best and the brightest,” one government source said. “But our message to bogus students is clear: you will be found out and you will be stopped from coming.”

Every year, around 10,000 visas are granted to students from Pakistan. About 20% of candidates are rejected on the basis of applications submitted with suspected poor English skills. Ministers ordered an increase in the number of applicants facing a “credibility test”, a face-to-face interview with British officials, following a sharp rise from Pakistani applicants.

Applicants were unable to answer basic questions in English without the aid of an interpreter

The study also found that 38% of applicants from Bangladesh, 29% from India, 28% from Egypt and 27% from Sri Lanka would also be considered ineligible for a student visa. In most cases this was because applicants were unable to answer basic questions in English without the aid of an interpreter.

The government hopes to extend pilot schemes in these countries, but as a first step, compulsory interviews will be held in Pakistan.

“The government has put its emphasis so far on tackling the roots of migration,” the government source said. “Now we are moving on to look at the system. This is one area that we have identified where we can identify people better who are seeking to abuse it.”

The scheme was introduced after the National Audit Office (NOA) found that up to 50,000 people could have entered Britain to work on student visas the first year the Tier 4 system was introduced in 2009.

“The government has put its emphasis so far on tackling the roots of migration; now we are moving on to look at the system”

The NOA report is highly critical of the Tier 4 system. “The agency implemented Tier 4 before the key controls were in place,” it said in the report. “The agency withdrew entry clearance officers’ powers to test applicants’ intentions before it had controls fully in place over sponsors and the documentation required to support an application.

 

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4 Responses to UKBA to interview Pakistani students

  1. i think its not a right way to assess the student level its mean that those student who are speaking English they are student and the other are not student i think its wrong

    • I think its right you have got to speak and write to succeed. If you cant speak how will you succeed.
      Good way to move on. Either work hard for study or do something else.

  2. i agree with immigration minster that most of the student from india, pakistan etc enter to UK for work but its not fair to deal with the students from india pakistan only… i been in UK for about 4 years finished my MBA, i have witnessed 95% of chines and eu-students are unable to speak english at all they use their hand and face expressions to explain u wat they mean…come on men atleast we got better education system in our countries one ever been in to pakistan or india they are well aware of it …..i remember when i was on the airport first time was really confused wat to say wat not …but be honest with you even i got 6.5 in ielts i couldnt get what the officer was asking me that time bec they got different accent it takes bit to everyone to get use to it ….they r really trying to screw our students because they r proper racist …… y they dnt see how much the student pay to their country average international student pay 10,000GBP every year just in tution fee…..the most Eu nationals come to uk for settlement they just proper useless …..claiming benefits n etc ….. Britain should stop all these benefits first then Eu nationals all problems will be solved …..i have too much to say but i think its enough for now……thanks

    • Fine! what ever decisions are being taken by UKBA ,they are just to stop in coming flux of foreign students into British universities.The UKBA has never been bothered to discuss their intended rules/laws with the migrants of those countries from where these students are inducted for study purposes and for whom they are making such tough rules how to limit or stop their entries.The students from abroad spent a huge amounts to get study visa and by the time they succeed to immigrate/enter legally onto the soil of UK, They become a doubtful species and are not allowed even to go for a part time job.Is it not human rights violation?what do you call or name it to this injustice scenario. waiting for comments.

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