These are the new restrictions in UK, from that article:
'The restrictions will include a requirement that students speak English well enough to pass British high school exams, not just the "beginner's English" required previously. Applicants for courses lasting less than six months will no longer be allowed to bring family members with them, and the dependents of students on courses not leading to degrees will be barred from working. Colleges will be more tightly monitored'
Hardly draconian stuff, especially the bit about working.
The universities are a very strong lobby voice as businesses in regard to the overseas student market. These changes don't touch them. In fact the more that the less-established colleges or whatever are closed down, the more that overseas students are herded into the unis.
Because of this strong lobbying voice, despite unemployment in the UK, the stipulation introduced 2 1/2 years ago - that graduates can stay and work for 2 years after graduating, in effect often much more as other residency mechanisms can be invoked in that time - which is a major marketing tool for unis in overseas recruitment, has not been rescinded.
With the UK govt you certainly need to look below the headline - every time.
LK
________________________________
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers on behalf of Jeremy Crampton
Sent: Wed 2/10/2010 5:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Guardian: Thousands to lose jobs as UK universities prepare to cope with cuts
How does this talk of increasing overseas enrollment square with this NYT article that Britiain is reducing international students (cast in the guise of an anti-terrorism move, natch)?
Britain Plans to Cut Flow of Foreign Students
By JOHN F. BURNS
Published: February 7, 2010
LONDON - In the face of mounting concern about abuse of student visa rules by migrant jobseekers and potential terrorists, Britain said Sunday that it was planning an immediate tightening of its border controls that could reduce the flow of people entering the country as students by tens of thousands a year.
The new rules will apply to all applicants from outside the European Union, including the United States. But the primary focus appeared likely to be the Indian subcontinent and countries in the Arab and Muslim world, both because of the large numbers of allegedly fake applicants who originate there and because of concerns about combating terrorism by Islamic extremists.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/world/europe/08britain.html
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