Johnson: "We want foreign students to come here to study, not to work illegally”
UK has introduced rules making it more difficult for non-EU foreign students to come to the country.
The students will be required to meet stricter entry criteria announced today by the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson.
The new regulations will ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK and that their dependants cannot work at all in the country.
Home Office said that the rules will even make it harder for bogus students, whose only aim is to come into the UK and work.
A good standard of English (equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) will be needed to come to the UK and study to improve English language competency further.
The students will also have to demonstrate that they have a good standard of English (again equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) in order to study any other course below degree level.
The lowest level courses (A-levels and equivalent) will be restricted to only the most trusted institutions.
The Government has halved the amount of time a student studying below first degree level or on a foundation degree course, will be able to work, to just ten hours during term time.
Anyone studying a course for less than six months will be banned from bringing in dependants.
Dependants of anyone studying a course lower than foundation or undergraduate degree level will be banned from working, and they will face removal from the UK if found doing so.
Home Secretary Johnson said: "The Points Based System was introduced to provide a rigorous system to manage legitimate access to the UK to work and study, with the ability to respond to changing circumstances.
"We want foreign students to come here to study, not to work illegally, and today we have set out necessary steps which will maintain the robustness of the system we introduced last year. I make no apologies for that."
In addition, the new measures include a ban on foreign students studying below degree level if the course includes a work placement - unless that course is being provided by a university, college or training provider which has the status of "highly trusted sponsor".
Students will be required to demonstrate their English language ability by passing an approved secure test - this will apply to all students studying below (foundation) degree level, including those coming to study English language.
The Government has also introduced tougher criteria for defining which course providers count as "highly trusted sponsors" of foreign students. The Home Office expects that all publicly funded universities and colleges will count as highly trusted, and will ensure that there is a rapid but rigorous system for ensuring that private training colleges can also gain that status as soon as possible.
The Government said it was taking these steps to crack down on potential abuse of the system.
Pat McFadden Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "Genuine international students are welcome in the UK. They make a significant contribution to the academic and cultural life of the universities and colleges where they study and bring over £5.3bn to our economy each year. But where there is abuse it undermines the position of genuine students as much as anyone else.
"It is important that we protect the reputation and quality of our institutions by ensuring only legitimate students are able to benefit from the courses they offer. This is why we will work closely with the sector to implement the recommendations of this review."
