Current location:travel >>
A third of foreign students seeking to stay in the UK are at just SIX institutions, figures show
travel22People have gathered around
IntroductionMore than a third of foreign students who went on to claim asylum in Britain were sponsored to come ...
More than a third of foreign students who went on to claim asylum in Britain were sponsored to come here by just six educational institutions.
The leaked figures come amid widespread concern that higher education is being abused as an immigration route.
The statistics from a secret Home Office database, covering the 12 months to March 2023, show 6,136 asylum cases were lodged by foreign students, more than a four-fold surge on the previous year.
Of those, 2,195 were sponsored by five universities and an education agency.
Study Group UK sponsored visas for 804 foreign students who later claimed asylum. The company's total was skewed towards two nationalities: 642 asylum claims from Bangladeshis and 156 from Pakistanis.
The statistics from a secret Home Office database, covering the 12 months to March 2023, show 6,136 asylum cases were lodged by foreign students, more than a four-fold surge on the previous year
The second-highest number of student visa-holders who claimed asylum in the year were sponsored by Portsmouth University (pictured), with 395
Third was De Montfort University (pictured) with 310 student visa-holders who claimed asylum in the year
Study Group's website describes it as a 'leading international education specialist and a trusted strategic partner to more than 50 universities around the world'.
EXCLUSIVEREAD MORE: Tens of thousands of foreign nationals are 'exploiting a hidden asylum loophole' to stay in the UK permanently, documents reveal
AdvertisementThe firm – along with individual universities – is licensed to sponsor foreign visa applicants by a Home Office agency, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
The second-highest number of student visa-holders who claimed asylum in the year were sponsored by Portsmouth University, with 395.
Its claims included 252 Bangladeshis, 54 from Afghans, 38 from Cameroonians and 28 from Pakistanis.
Third was De Montfort University with 310, followed by the University of Hertfordshire with 275, Coventry University with 217 and the University for the Creative Arts with 194.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman is among those who have previously criticised the higher education sector's role in bringing vast numbers of foreign students to Britain.
'Too many universities are selling immigration, not education,' she said in January.
In December Home Secretary James Cleverly announced a review of the 'graduate visa' which allows students who have completed their courses to work in Britain for up to two years.
Fourth was the University of Hertfordshire (pictured) with 275 student visa-holders who claimed asylum in the year
Fifth was Coventry University (pictured) with student visa-holders who claimed asylum in the year
In December Home Secretary James Cleverly (pictured on Wednesday) announced a review of the 'graduate visa' which allows students who have completed their courses to work in Britain for up to two years
An official review was only launched three months later and its results are awaited.
Latest Home Office data shows there were 457,673 sponsored study visas granted to main applicants last year. This is five per cent fewer than in 2022 but 70 per cent up on 2019 prior to the Covid pandemic.
However the graduate route allowed 114,409 foreign students to extend their stay in Britain by two years after completing a course, up 57 per cent year-on-year.
READ MORE: Immigration chiefs warn universities after THOUSANDS of foreign students claim asylum within months of arriving in Britain
AdvertisementA University of Portsmouth spokesman said: 'This issue is a result of the Government's asylum policy, which allows visa switching in a way that is outside the direct control of the universities concerned and is not a failing of the higher education sector.
'The visa system and rules should not permit individuals approved to study with a study visa to legally switch to claim asylum.' He added the university has taken steps and worked with UKVI on the issue.
A Study Group spokesman said: 'As a UKVI licence-holder with a track record of compliance to sponsor international students, we take our duties extremely seriously.
'We immediately flag immigration concerns regarding any students who may seem non-genuine.'
A spokesman for the higher education body Universities UK International said: 'To recruit international students, universities must meet very high standards set by government.
'Adherence to these standards is continuously monitored by UKVI and compliance is exceptionally high.
'Our universities take visa compliance very seriously and, working with the Home Office and UKVI, take all possible steps to minimise the potential for abuse.'
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Culture Corridor news portal”。http://mauritius.shellye-mcdaniel.com/news-27c699338.html
Related articles
How just one horrible moment in your past could cause ALZHEIMER'S, according to new study
travelHorrible moments in life don't just bring on added stress, but a new study has found one such event ...
【travel】
Read moreHow to get rid of NYC rats without brutality? Birth control is one idea
travelNew York lawmakers are proposing rules to humanely drive down the population of rats and other roden ...
【travel】
Read moreTyler Lussi powers Courage to win over Thorns in NWSL
travelTyler Lussi had a goal and an assist as the North Carolina Courage defeated the Portland Thorns 2-0 ...
【travel】
Read more
Popular articles
- Innocent woman in her 30s suffers 'non life
- Putin announces plans to run for president in 2024
- Lionel Messi scores fifth goal and has an assist in Inter Miami's 3
- Infographic: What we need to know about COP28
- Argentina and Messi will play 2 warm
- Thailand: Water guns in full blast to mark New Year festivities
Latest articles
Police and social services missed 'critical opportunities' to save life of Arthur Labinjo
Int'l ministerial meeting calls for peace in Gaza
U.S. halts freight railway crossings in western Texas to address influx of migrants
Attacks on U.S. base resume in revenge campaign for Gaza: monitor
Chinese premier congratulates Mishustin on reassuming office as Russian PM
Xinhua's top 10 world news events in 2023
LINKS
- Feature: Remote Ugandan villages visualize better future with Chinese oil works in backyard
- Xi extends condolences over death of Namibia's Geingob
- China champions peace, development, confronts jackals, wolves head on
- Five factors to affect Russia
- Nation's efforts to ensure food security praised
- China urges U.S. to cease sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces
- China completes major tasks in three
- China completes major tasks in three
- Tourism market makes robust recovery over holiday
- Huawei teams up with Ethiopian telecom companies for green energy solutions