Immigration Minister Damian Green has reiterated the government's plans to review student visas in a speech to the think-tank Reform.

Speaking at a conference in London, Mr Green focused particularly on the privately funded further education sector, which is subject to less regulation and is more open to abuse.

The national consultation on Tier 4 closed on 31 January, and Mr Green outlined how the UK Border Agency will use this to further strengthen the student visa system and clamp down on abuses of the student route to the UK.

Mr Green said:

'I believe attracting talented students from abroad is vital to the UK, but we must be more selective about who can come here and how long they can stay.'

The 8-week consultation received over 30,000 responses, and sought views on a range of measures to reduce the overall number of students who can come into the UK. Proposals in the consultation included:

• reducing the number of people coming to the UK to study at below degree level;
• introducing a tougher English language requirement;
• ensuring that students wishing to extend their studies show evidence of academic progression;
• limiting students' entitlements to work and their ability to bring in dependants; and
• improving the accreditation process for education providers, alongside more rigorous inspections.

The results of the consultation will be announced in the coming weeks.

The full speech can be found on the Home Office website.

12 January 2011

UKBA NEWS:

Twenty-four Kuwaiti nationals have been caught by the UK Border Agency at the Port of Harwich attempting to sneak into the country in the back of a lorry.

The stowaways, 23 men and 1, 17-year-old boy, were caught in the early hours of the morning when they arrived on a ferry from the Hook of Holland.

Alerted by a discrepancy in the lorry's paperwork the vehicle was selected for further examination.

The driver of the vehicle has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and is currently being questioned by the UK Border Agency.

The 23 men are due to be transferred to Campsfield House immigration removal centre for their cases to be dealt with. The 17-year-old will be passed into the care of Essex Social Services.