Immigration

Iranian students have been left in the lurch after the Canadian government closed its embassy in Tehran and the Iranian embassy in Ottawa last Friday. Many Iranian students fear they will be unable to obtain or renew their student visas with just weeks until the start of term.

A cross-party parliamentary report has called for international students to be removed from net migration figures, claiming the government’s policy of including them is damaging to the economy. It also calls for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help the UK expand its share of the "lucrative" student market.

London Metropolitan University has launched legal action against the government after losing its right to recruit non-EU students last week, denying alleged “systemic” failures. According to an immigration law expert, the university could force an injunction preventing revocation of the licence until a full hearing has taken place.

London Metropolitan University has become the UK’s first university to lose its right to recruit non-EU students, the UK Border Agency revealed last night. 2,700 international students, either about to start or in the midst of degree courses, will be given 60 days to find alternative universities.

A report has found that 69% of university students in Portugal plan to emigrate after graduation in search of better working conditions, job opportunities and pay. Most respondents said Europe and South America were their preferred destinations.

As part of an ongoing campaign to tackle visa abuse by the UKBA, authorities in the UK have arrested 20 students, who were predominantly of Bangladeshi and Indian origin, for working up to three-and-a-half times longer than their visas allowed for a supermarket. All now face deportation.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a "notice of intent to withdraw" accreditation to California's University of Herguan after federal agents charged CEO, Jerry Wang, with visa fraud. Wang was arrested just a day after the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would require all HE institutions to have national or regional accreditation.

Chinese students will be able to study English in Ireland more easily under a new visa scheme aimed at boosting the language sector. 55 schools will be able to recruit through “trusted agents” in China while eligible Chinese students will need to provide fewer documents and will have their applications fast-tracked by the Irish Embassy in Beijing.

Education giant Navitas has reported a 5% fall in end-of-year profits, as its university programs, student recruitment and English divisions all suffered from regulation and currency issues in Australia and the UK. CEO Rod Jones called 2012 "probably the toughest year in Navitas' history".

A cross-party group of UK MPs has called for international students to be removed from migration targets, arguing it is damaging "a strong sector of our economy and also the cultural diversity of our universities". It joins growing calls for the government to change course from pressure groups, MPs and the British media.

London Metropolitan University has denied suggestions of widespread visa fraud after its licence to enrol non-EU students was suspended last week. UKBA concerns centre on how the university recorded data on overseas students regarding their ability to speak English and attendance.

From July 30, all student visa applicants from countries deemed "high risk" will be subject to an interview before being granted a visa in new efforts to crackdown on bogus students and providers. The system follows a pilot scheme which found hundreds of applications to lack credibility.

Prominent members of UK HE body UKCISA have called for a positive new vision for UK international education after a year dominated by student immigration concerns.

Authorities in New Zealand have uncovered immigration fraud in 279 Chinese student visa applications through routine random sampling of student visa applications through Immigration New Zealand’s Beijing branch. Two agencies are thought to be the source; some students already identified in the Auckland area.

The PIE News will this week report from the largest gathering for UK university and college staff working with international students – the (UKCISA) Annual Conference, where visas will top the agenda.