Foreign students to face tougher UK scrutiny
The British authorities have found gross irregularities in over 2,000 Asian banks and financial institutions, including a good number from Bangladesh, in providing financial statements to students going to the UK for education.
The UK Border Agency also revoked licences of 51 British educational institutions to recruit international students, according to a press statement of the British High Commission in Dhaka.
The agency has recently published the names of the banks and financial institutions of India, Pakistan and the Philippines, from which it will no longer accept evidence that show students have sufficient funds to support themselves and pay for their course. It, however, is yet to publish the names of banks and financial institutions in Bangladesh.
“If a bank is on the list, a student providing financial documentation from that institution will not be granted a visa,” said the statement.
The decisions came following investigations into the British educational institutions. The European nation earlier this year tightened the rules for obtaining visa for international students.
In recent years, the UK witnessed a surge in the number of international students, many from South Asia. All of them are not genuine students and many migrate to the UK for jobs.
For violating immigration laws, the UK has detained and repatriated dozens of Bangladeshi “students” and the process goes on.
On the abuse of the rules by educational institutions in the UK, the UK Border Agency said one college advertised classes even though the website said it was closed for maintenance, while another one could not even produce a list of students enrolled or a timetable for classes. On inspection, some institutions could not produce any records of student attendance, or evidence of checking student qualifications.
British Immigration Minister Damian Green said, “Too many institutions were offering international students an immigration service rather than an education and too many students have come to the UK with the aim of getting work and bringing over family members.
“We have curbed the opportunities for work during study and bring in family members. We have also introduced new language requirements to ensure we only attract genuine students whose primary motivation is to study,” Green said.
As per UK's new rules, over 450 education providers will no longer be able to sponsor new international students. These colleges used to bring more than 11,000 students into the UK to study each year.
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