Highly trusted sponsor scheme launched for UK student visas
March 24 2010 by Liam Clifford
The UK Border Agency announced on Monday the launch of the 'Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme' for education providers who want to sponsor applicants for Tier 4 of the points-based UK visa system.
The Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme has been
designed to ensure that all student visas issued under Tier 4 of the UK visa
system are being used for genuine study. A number of bogus colleges and
universities have made the headlines in recent years for posing as sponsors for
overseas immigrants who have no intention of studying in the UK.
The UK
Border Agency’s website claims that: “The scheme will cut red tape for sponsors
who qualify. It will also allow us to monitor other sponsors more thoroughly,
focusing our enforcement activity on those who seek to abuse the system. We will
be applying minimum standards for all sponsors; where appropriate, we will
suspend or revoke the licences of sponsors who fail to meet these
standards.”
Applications for the Highly Trusted Sponsor licence are now
open and a register of highly trusted sponsors for UK student visas will be
published on 6th April. Sponsors will be required to demonstrate a track record
of recruiting genuine international students who comply with immigration rules
while they are in the UK.
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