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PETITION TO OPPOSE PROPOSED CHANGES TO STUDENT VISAS IN UK
There is now a UK-wide campaign underway to oppose the proposed changes to student visas, which will require academics to monitor and report overseas students to the UK Border Agency. As part the campaign, a petition to the Prime Minister's Office has been launched. There are currently 2260 signatures, but we'd like to get more, so please take a minute to add your name and forward to contacts.
http://petitions.number10.gov.
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to withdraw the oppressive new immigration rules on overseas students and staff”
Background: The new rules for overseas students and staff threaten university autonomy and breach human rights legislation. These rules would require Universities to report to the Border Agency any absences from lectures and seminars or any failure to submit any assessment on time. In other words the University is being asked to act as an Immigration Officer to the students. These requirements go far beyond the present monitoring of student progress systems in Universities which has as its purpose assisting students to reach their full potential. It is hard to justify such detailed monitoring of overseas students. Surely the Border Agency just needs to know students have registered and are at the University. This police-like surveillance is not the function of universities and alters the educational relationship between students and their teachers in a very harmful manner. University staff are there to help the students develop intellectually and not to be a means of sanctioning them. Trust between students and staff is essential to the relationship. They represent a potential breach of Articles 8 and Article 3of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. – Ian Grigg-Spall:
FURTHER BACKGROUND ON KEY CHANGES TO STUDENT VISA RULES
1) Onerous financial requirements for international students
Under the new points-based system, starting in Spring 2009, student visas will be subject to "mandatory maintenance requirements" which means the visa won't approved unless the student can provided evidence of enough funds in their bank account to cover full first year tuition + £9600(amount they consider necessary for living expenses at £800 per month). For spouses/children they will need to show they have a further £535 per month for each dependent.) This requirement will apply to everyone, regardless of what country you are coming from. Students applying for the Post Study Worker Scheme or Highly Skilled Migrant Program scheme from within the UK, will need to have £800 held in their bank account for three months in a row to be eligible. Students applying from outside the UK, will need £2800 held over the last three months, plus £1600 per dependent.
2) Universities forced to report info about international students to the Home Office & UK Border Agency
Starting from Spring 2009, any educational institution recruiting overseas students will need to register with the Home Office. All sponsors, including the university, will be required to report on international students who(a) fail to enrol on their course;(b) have any unauthorized absences;(c) discontinue their studies (including deferrals)(d) any significant changes in students circumstances (eg if duration of study shortens) Institutions will be expected to cooperate with the UK Border Agency and "Account Managers" will routinely conduct "spot checks" to ensure institutions are complying with requirements. Apparently the Home Office is also cracking down on students who work more than the 20 permitted hours during term time.
3) Monitoring students activities re: "anti-terrorism"
Since 2007, non-UK/EU postgrad students studying certain science/technologysubjects (mostly biology, chemistry, technology) are required to go through the "Academic Technology Approval Scheme - as a counter-terrorism measure-- apparently "to stop the spread of knowledge and skills that could be used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery."
4) ID controls
As of November 25th, the government will begin issuing biometric ID cards to all non-EU students and spouses and this will extend to students applying for loans in 2010. Existing student visas will not be renewed without providing biometric data and obtaining the ID card.
Coverage in the Guardian:
Letter: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
Article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
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