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Government investigates “pull factor” of Britain’s free State schools in immigration crackdown (18 August 2015)

Date: 18/08/2015
Duncan Lewis, Immigration Solicitors, Government investigates “pull factor” of Britain’s free State schools in immigration crackdown

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has ordered an investigation into how much of a “pull factor” Britain’s State schools are for migrants settling in the UK.

The Telegraph reports that ministers are planning to crack down on migrants coming to the UK for a free State school education for their children.

Teachers’ unions have previously warned that some schools are struggling to cope with teaching pupils without fluent English – and it is estimated pupils in UK schools speak around 300 different languages. In parts of east London, more than three-quarters of pupils do not have English as their first language. In one in nine State schools in the UK, English is no longer the predominant language spoken by pupils.

As part of the government’s attempts to reduce net migration – the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK compared with the number of those who leave every year – there have already been measures to reduce so-called “health tourism” and “benefits tourism”.

The government has cut access to welfare benefits for migrants from both the EU and from outside the European Union – as well as tackling the issue of migrants or visitors from outside Europe who have NHS treatment.

The Education Minister wants to establish whether “education tourism” might be one factor in increasing levels of immigration to Britain – including families coming to Britain from Eastern Europe, as well as outside the EU.

It is thought one factor might be the opportunity to learn English, which is still the global language of the business world.

The Home Office is currently drawing up plans to limit the number of overseas students from outside the EU who come to study at British universities, as part of the government’s attempts to reduce net migration to the “tens of thousands” per year. In 2014, there were more 300,000 more migrants entering the country than leaving the UK.

New restrictions may be placed on international students coming to Britain to study on the “least prestigious” university courses.

Business leaders in the UK have previously called for more measures to encourage overseas students wishing to study STEM subjects – science, technology, mathematics and engineering – and to make it easier for the most talented to obtain work visas once they have graduated.

However, government officials have become concerned that some universities are marketing a student visa as a way to come to Britain to find a job. Many provincial universities also have satellite campuses in London to attract students who wish to study in London. International students pay much higher course fees than British students and many wish to study in London.

Under the government’s plans to reduce the number of overseas students coming to the UK, students could have to prove they have access to sufficient funding to pay for their courses, which would also prevent overseas graduates leaving the UK without paying back their student loans.

It s also reported that children and spouses of postgraduate students who come with them to Britain could be banned from doing unskilled work while they are living in Britain.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading immigration solicitors and can advise on student visas, right to work in the UK, Tier-2 visas, and visa overstays.

Duncan Lewis is a Legal Aid immigration solicitor also able to advise on illegal entry to the UK, asylum and asylum appeals, Human Rights Act and the Modern Slavery Bill.

For expert legal advice on UK immigration law and student visas, call Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 020 7923 4020.


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