Home Secretary Relax Tier 4 Student Visa Rules Which Could See A Boost For UK Universities And Buy-To-Let Landlords

Thousands more foreign students will be able to study in UK universities under plans to relax Tier 4 visa rules the Home Office announced this week.

The Mail on Sunday said the Government will scrap rules requiring overseas students to provide evidence of sufficient funds to live here and speak English.

Students add billions to UK economy say universities

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has simplified the process of securing so-called 'Tier 4' visas for students from countries it considers a 'low risk' of abusing the system.

Critics warned that easing the rules risked bogus or underqualified students who submitted applications in a bid to beat border controls slipping through the net. But the Home Office insisted there was no evidence students from the countries involved had exploited the system. Officials insisted random spot-checks would weed out wrong-doing.

Home Secretary Sajid Javed

The measure follows other immigration reforms unveiled by Mr Javid designed to make it easier for skilled non-EU migrants to work and live in the UK.

The recently appointed Home Secretary appears to be sweeping in a new migration mood after relaxing working visa rules to allow more non-EU doctors andnurses to work in Britain. He has enabled the NHS to recruit more medical staff by excluding them from the migration cap, which means businesses and employers will be able to hire an extra 8,000 skilled non-EU workers, such as engineers, IT professionals and teachers.

The Home Office has also added 11 countries to its 'trusted' list for the purpose of student visas. The additional countries – China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, Bahrain, Serbia, Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Maldives and Macau – bring the list to 30, but excludes India.

They join trusted countries on list including Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, the US and Taiwan. 

Overseas students from the nations on the list will enjoy a streamlined application process, with fewer documents required when applying for visas.

They will no longer need to submit evidence showing they meet the requirements for living costs of up to £1,265 a month, previous qualifications or evidence they can speak English fluently.

Figures show that in the year to March, some 100,769 students from the 11 nations were granted Tier 4 student visas to study in the UK.

The new measures have been welcomed by UK universities who have argued for easing restrictions on foreign students, claiming they contribute of £2.3billion annually to the British economy.

But Migrationwatch warned of a so-called 'slippery slope', saying: 'The last time the student visa system was loosened in 2009 it took years to recover from the massive inflow of bogus students, especially from India.'

In other measures, the Tier 1 immigration route for highly-skilled individuals will be expanded to include fashion designers who will be able to apply for the visas for 'exceptional talent' in the fields of science, humanities, engineering, medicine, digital technology or the arts.

The Home Office said the route was also being opened up to a wider pool of TV personalities and film stars.

Mr Javed also confirmed that Afghan interpreters and their families who have relocated to the UK can apply free for permanent residence.

Increased numbers of students coming to study in the UK could provide a much needed boost to the economy and buy-to-let property market, which have slowed since the Brexit referendum and stamp duty hikes.

Podcast Version

Check out my Money Tips Daily Podcast  episode "Student Visa Rule Change Boost To Property Lettings " on Anchor! https://anchor.fm/charles-kelly/episodes/Student-Visa-Rule-Change-Boost-To-Property-Lettings-e1lnkdhttps://anchor.fm/charles-kelly/episodes/Student-Visa-Rule-Change-Boost-To-Property-Lettings-e1lnkd

Listen to my Money Tips Daily Podacst, "UK To Relax Visa Rules For Nurse’s And Doctors" by Charles Kelly https://anchor.fm/charles-kelly/episodes/UK-To-Relax-Visa-Rules-For-Nurses-And-Doctors-e1l62v/a-a40kat

See also:

UK Government To Change Visa Rules For Doctors And Nurses

London Tops University Destination For International Students

How Did Billionaire Chelsea FC Owner And London Resident Abramovich Allow His Investor Visa To Expire?

Modern Slavery affects 13,000 victims in the UK alone from overseas domestic worker slaves to sex workers

When we think of slavery we tend to think of bygone days or people in third world countries. However, modern day slavery is as real as it was 200 years ago.

Meenal Sachdev, Director of Shiva Foundation

On the day Theresa May signed the letter invoking Article50, the process which will take Britain out of the EU, I attended a conference in Hertfordshire, Tackling Modern Day Slavery, organised by Meenal Sachdev, Director of the Shiva Foundation. The event was attended by over 200 including the Police Commissioner of Hertfordshire, the Home Office, NHS and various charities.

The Home Office estimates that there are 13,000 victims of modern day slavery in the UK, ranging from exploited workers domestic workers to women being trafficked into the country to work in the sex trade.

The conference has helped to spread awareness of the exploitation of people, which could be going on behind closed doors in your neighbourhood.

Prime Minister, Theresa May

Prime Minister Theresa May introduced the Slavery Act while serving as Home Secretary, widely seen as her legacy from her successful term in the Home Office. As a result of the act the maximum penalty for slavery is life imprisonment.

Rescuing victims from forced labour or servitude is generally only the first step, as they will need ongoing support and help once freed. This can extend to support in their own country, for people trafficked into the UK, where they are often in debt to criminal gangs. Romania is one of the countries cooperating with authorities in the UK and a number of successful cross-border operations have been conducted to clamp down on criminals. 

Slavery is the second fastest growing form of organised crime which also encompasses people trafficking, immigration fraud crimes and sham marriages where EEA citizens were flown in to marry Pakistani and African men.

The majority of the examples of crimes, were committed by gangs from Eastern European countries like Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

There are a number of charities and organisations which help victims of modern day slavery including Unseen which has a confidential Modern Slavery helpline: 08000 121 700.

The long term outlook for Britain looks positive within Europe, but outside the European Union. The UK is an attractive place to work, start a business or buy property - even with no money down, with no restrictions on foreign buyers and a vibrant mortgage market with record low interest rates. Leading economists predict that, despite Brexit, house prices will continue rising due to shortages of stock and strong demand in the rental sector.

If you would like to learn more about investing in UK property, I have a limited number of complimentary tickets to a LIVE EVENT  - Beginners Property Course (held in the UK), which will give you the basic knowledge and techniques to get started. If you are interest, email me your full name and telephone number to euukimmigration@gmail.com.

See also:

UK based Indian charity in visa fraud Immigration scam

Article 50 date 29 March 2017 and UK Brexit within 2 years

Minimum £18,600 income for foreign spouses lawful "in principle", Supreme Court rules

Rents rise as young first-time buyers struggle to get a foot on the UK property ladder, but there is help available