Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Home Office Declares War On Colleges And Universit...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Home Office Declares War On Colleges And Universit...: Cynthia Barker writes...It's war on private colleges again, as the Home Office discovers thousands of fraudulent English certificates as...

Home Office War On Tier 4 Sponsor Colleges And Universities

Cynthia Barker writes...It's war on private colleges again, as the Home Office discovers thousands of fraudulent English certificates as students apparently working in the UK illegally under Tier 4 student visas.

Okay, the Home Office hasn't actually declared war on education providers, but with the government struggling to meet net migration targets by 2015, students and colleges are the next target.

Earlier this week, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire stood up in Parliament and announced an inquiry into abuse of the student visa system after finding evidence of criminal activity, and added that several colleges and universities had been suspended from sponsoring non-EU students.

The minister revealed that out of 48,000 English certificates used to extend leave in the UK, 29,000 were invalid and 19,000 were "questionable".

Mr Brokenshire is pointing the finger, not at the Home Office caseworker who accepted the fake certificates when issuing UK leave to remain, but at the universities and colleges who also took them at face value.

UK Border officers found evidence of "serious concern" at some university campuses, and the Home Office has downgraded Glyndwr University in north-east Wales from a "highly-trusted sponsor" of Tier 4 student visas.

The Home Office has suspended Tier 4 Sponsors licences of 57 private further education colleges, and two universities - the University of Bedfordshire and University of West London - are suspended from sponsoring new students pending further investigations.

The certificates were issued by rogue colleges who gave the answers to students sitting English tests. How would a college or university admissions officer know that the tests were fake?

He added that LSBF, a large private college in London, had hundreds of students who were working, even though their visas should not allow work. However, if the CAS was issued by a university using LSBF as a London campus, then work would be allowed.

LSBF has issued a strongly worded statement of protest to the Home Office, but will probably face a large legal bill as the lawyers rub their hands with glee!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: 48,000 Bogus English Language Certificates Leaves ...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: 48,000 Bogus English Language Certificates Leaves ...: Cynthia Barker writes...Wow, as many as 48,000 immigrants have allegedly obtained bogus English language certificates even though they coul...

48,000 Bogus English Language Certificates Leaves Home Office In Crisis And Signals Another Crackdown On Student Visas

Cynthia Barker writes...Wow, as many as 48,000 immigrants have allegedly obtained bogus English language certificates even though they could not speak English, the Home Office said.

Home Office Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told Parliament that an inquiry into abuse of the student visa system had found evidence of criminal activity, which would now be investigated fully.

Incredibly, out of 48,000 certificates, 29,000 were invalid and 19,000 were "questionable", the minister said.

Mr Brokenshire continued: "It is likely that the true totals will be higher."

"The government is not prepared to tolerate this abuse," he said.

"Since the start of February immigration enforcement officers, with the support of the National Crime Agency, together with officials from UK Visas and Immigration, have been conducting a detailed and wide-ranging investigation into actions by organised criminals to falsify English language tests for student visa applicants.

"They've also investigated a number of colleges and universities for their failure to ensure that their students meet the criteria set out in immigration rules."

The Home Office investigation was prompted by a BBC Panorama investigation earlier this year, which shows secretly filmed evidence of bogus colleges issuing fraudulent English certificates used to falsely obtain further leave to remain in the UK.

UK Border officers have also uncovered evidence of "serious concern" at some university campuses, and the Home Office has downgraded Glyndwr University in north-east Wales from its status as a "highly-trusted sponsor" of Tier 4 student visas.

The Home Office has also suspended Tier 4 Sponsors licences of 57 private further education colleges, Mr Brokenshire said.

In a rare move, two universities - the University of Bedfordshire and University of West London - are no longer allowed to sponsor new students pending further investigations.

The suspensions of student visa licences for state owned universities will be highly embarrassing for the UK government.

Immigration border enforcement officers had started work to identify migrants who were in the country illegally as a result of the falsified language tests so they could be removed or deported from the UK, the minister promised.

"The steps I have outlined today shows we will not hesitate to take firm action against those - students, colleges and universities - who do not abide by their legal responsibilities and resolutely pursue organised criminality to bring those responsible to justice," the minister concluded. Source: BBC.

The news of a few crooked colleges trying to buck the system will almost certainly result in yet another crackdown on foreign students and private colleges - worth billions to the UK economy. Let's hope that the Home Office will not allow a few rotten eggs to cause the government to throw the baby out with the bath water.

In a separate story, illegal immigrants recently had over £2000 confiscated by Home Office border officers during an immigration raid in Leicester. 

The overstaying Indian nationals were deported, but their money - deemed to have been earned through illegal working – was kept by the government under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Interestingly, the courts upheld the decision. With the new Immigration Act making it harder, if not impossible, for a visa overstaying illegal immigrant to open a bank account, there could be a lot more cash seized by the Home Office during deportation raids.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Appeal Cases Keeping Me Busy As Home Office Refuse...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Appeal Cases Keeping Me Busy As Home Office Refuse...: Cynthia Barker writes...Another manic day, saw three sets of clients and 10 people today! Home Office appeal cases are keeping us soooo busy...

Appeal Cases Keeping Me Busy As Home Office Refuse Leave To Remain

Cynthia Barker writes...Another manic day, saw three sets of clients and 10 people today! Home Office appeal cases are keeping us soooo busy, but I wish clients would come to me with their visa refusals a little earlier than 24 hours before the deadline to lodge an appeal!

Some of the refusals by Home Office case workers for further leave to remain or partner visas are just plain daft!

In one case, a client was refused due to "inconsistencies in answers" during a Home Office interview for an EEA residence card for the non-EU wife of a Romanian national.

In the appeal evidence our appeal specialist actually refers to an old TV show called 'Mr and Mrs' in which married couples are secretly questioned about their partners habits and tastes.

The show was very popular and ran for decades because even couples who had been married for 50 years would give the wrong answers!

Back to our client's appeal. During the Home Office interview the wife was asked if her husband smoked. She said he had "given up".

But when the husband was questioned in another room he admitted to the Home Office officers (but not his wife!) that he still smoked.

Based on these minor inconsistencies, the wife was refused an EEA residence permit, and we are appealing the Home Office refusal decision.

The appeal tribunal will involve highly paid immigration judges, clerks, administrators, lawyers and a home Office representative to fight their case (assuming they turn up), all of which will cost the British taxpayer a lot of money. They should have been granted the EEA residence card in the first place, without the need for an interview.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, including overstaying your visa, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

See also: Home-office-wins-appeal-on-spouse-visa

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