Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bates on 8 December 2014 (HL3326) and 18 December 2014 (HL3645), how many applications from Nepal were received in 2014 in Delhi and how many of these were approved.
Answered by Lord Bates
There were 7,022 Visa applications made in Nepal and processed in New Delhi between Jan - Sep 2014. Of these, 5,251 were approved.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 December (HL3326), whether the staff who actually carry out the application reviews for entry clearance applications made in Nepal are aware of that policy, and whether checks are carried out to ensure that is so.
Answered by Lord Bates
All visa applications are considered under the Immigration Rules. As the Immigration Rules do not state that there needs to be a demand for specific graduates in the students’ home country, the degree subject is not a consideration for the Entry Clearance Officer.
Any student application refused under PBS Tier 4 of the Immigration Rules can be subject to an Administrative Review (AR). The AR is conducted by an official at a more senior grade than the original decision maker.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 27 September (HL2847), whether students from Nepal must have their applications to study in the United Kingdom vetted in Delhi; and if so, whether in assessing students from Nepal consideration is given as to whether Nepal needs students with the degrees the students wish to pursue.
Answered by Lord Bates
Since March 2008, all Entry Clearance applications made in Nepal have been considered by UK Entry Clearance Officers based at the visa section in New Delhi. This includes applications to study in the UK. Entry Clearance Officers consider student applications in accordance with the Immigration Rules. These rules do not include any consideration of whether Nepal needs students with the degrees that the students wish to pursue.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether students attending United Kingdom universities are included in the immigration statistics; and if so, why.
Answered by Lord Bates
Published Home Office immigration statistics record data on all people coming to the UK or remaining here who are subject to immigration control. This includes all non-EU students.
International students are also included in net migration statistics that are produced by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). In line with the internationally agreed UN definition, these statistics define a migrant as someone changing their normal place of residence for more than a year. Students are therefore included in the same way as other migrants. Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also include students in their net migration figures.
The ONS has recently improved its methodology so that it is possible to better identify students in the emigration flows to give a more accurate measure of the contribution of students to overall net migration. In the last year, 121,000 non-EU students came to Britain to stay for more than 12 months, and the ONS estimates that only 51,000 left the country.
All migrants who are in the UK for 12 months or more have an impact on our communities, infrastructure and public services. Changing the way we measure migration would not make any difference to our student migration policy. There is no cap on the number who can come to the UK. Those who are sponsored by a reputable institution, have the right qualifications and sufficient funds to support themselves and can speak adequate English can study here. Britain remains the second most popular destination for international higher education students. The latest figures show visa applications from university students increased by 2%, and visa applications for the Russell Group universities are up 4% for the year ending September 2014.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 11 August (HL1352), what steps are in place to prevent citizens of countries from which a visa is required to visit the United Kingdom but not the Republic of Ireland from entering the UK through the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK and Republic of Ireland share data in order to inform immigration decisions taken by both countries, and continue to pursue the alignment of their visa policies. Immigration Enforcement and Border Force conduct intelligence-led operations to identify and take action against individuals who are seeking to or have entered the UK from the Republic of Ireland without the necessary leave.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any proposals to follow the Canadian example of allowing foreign students the opportunity to work in the United Kingdom for a limited period before they return home.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK has an excellent offer for international students, which already includes a number of options for those who wish to stay to work or set up in business after their studies.
Students who get a graduate job paying an appropriate salary can stay after their studies by switching into the Tier 2 route. There is no limit on the number of these places, which are exempt from the cap on economic migrants.
Graduates who wish to undertake a period of professional training relating to their degrees before pursuing a career overseas may do so by switching into an appropriate Tier 5 scheme.
Those completing a PhD or other doctoral qualification can stay for a year under the Tier 4 Doctorate Extension Scheme, which allows completing students to work, gain experience in their chosen field, or set up as an entrepreneur, again with no limit on numbers.
Those who wish to stay to develop a business idea can do so under the Graduate Entrepreneur scheme, the first in the world of its kind. All they need is an endorsement from their Higher Education Institution that they have a genuine and credible business idea, and to have enough funds to support themselves.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether anyone associated with the Liberation and Justice Movement of Sudan has been barred from entering the United Kingdom; and, if so, who and why.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases. This is because the Home Office has obligations in law to protect this information. The Liberation and Justice Movement of Sudan has not been proscribed by the UK. Individuals associated with the Liberation and Justice Movement would not necessarily be denied entry based solely on their association with it.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 11 August (HL1352), whether the citizens of the countries referred to in the answer could enter the Republic of Ireland and then enter the United Kingdom without a visa by entering Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bates
Citizens of Bolivia, Fiji, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland and Taiwan travelling to Northern Ireland, or any part of the UK, from the Republic of Ireland, require a UK visa.
In recognition of the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, intelligence led operations are conducted to target potential abuse and identify those not in possession of the appropriate UK entry clearance.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any citizens of foreign countries who require a visa to enter the United Kingdom but who do not require a visa to enter the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Citizens of the following countries and territories require visas to visit the UK but not the Republic of Ireland: Bolivia, Fiji, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland and Taiwan.