Posted on March 27, 2012

Tens of Thousands of Immigrants Illegally Entered Britain Under New Visa System

Telegraph (London), Rowena Mason, March 27, 2012

In a deeply critical study, the National Audit Office found a huge surge in students entering the country was largely fuelled by fake applications after a new visa system was introduced in 2009.

The report reveals the UK Border Agency probably let through 40,000 to 50,000 illegal students in this year, largely from India, Bangladesh and China. Most of these people have never been traced.

The number of illegal immigrants who pretended to be in education is more than ten times higher than the previous estimates.

Immigration officials took measures to tighten the system up by increasing checks on colleges and applicants, but the National Audit Office found its controls are still lacking.

Colleges have notified the UK Border Agency of more than 60,000 times of students not attending studies in breach of their visa conditions during the 18 months up until October 2011.

Official auditors believe many of these people are still in the country, as immigration staff do not regard removing them as a “priority”.

Margaret Hodge, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said the UK Border Agency needs to “get a grip”

“This is one of the most shocking reports of poor management leading to abuse that I have seen,” Mrs Hodge said. “In the first year, student visas increased by one third, as 40,000 to 50,000 individuals probably used this route to work rather than to study. We will need to ask some important questions of those responsible.”

The report comes after a series of scandals engulfing the UK Border Agency over its control over immigration. Last year, it emerged the agency had relaxedBy Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent

UP to 50,000 immigrants illegally entered Britain by pretending to be students, a “shocking” report on the UK Border Agency will say today.

In a deeply critical study, the National Audit Office found a huge surge in foreign students was largely fuelled by fake applications after a new visa system was introduced in 2009.

The report reveals the UK Border Agency probably let through 40,000 to 50,000 illegal students in this year, largely from India, Bangladesh and China. Most of these people have never been traced.

The number of illegal immigrants who pretended to be in education is more than ten times higher than the previous estimates.

Immigration officials took measures to tighten the system up by increasing checks on colleges and applicants, but the National Audit Office found some of its controls are still “non compliant”.

Colleges have notified the UK Border Agency of more than 60,000 times of students not attending studies in breach of their visa conditions during the 18 months up until October 2011.

Official auditors believe many of these people are still in the country, as immigration staff do not regard removing them as a “priority”.

Margaret Hodge, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said the UK Border Agency needs to “get a grip”

“This is one of the most shocking reports of poor management leading to abuse that I have seen,” Mrs Hodge said. “In the first year, student visas increased by one third, as 40,000 to 50,000 individuals probably used this route to work rather than to study. We will need to ask some important questions of those responsible.”

The report comes after a series of scandals engulfing the UK Border Agency over its control on immigration. Last year, it emerged the agency had relaxed passport checks on foreigners at ports and airports without consulting ministers, allowing extremists and criminals to enter Britain.

The UK Border Agency now admits it now has no idea how many fake students are in the UK or how many genuine students have remained in the country after their leave to remain has expired.

The new “points-based” immigration regime introduced by Labour was supposed to made it harder for unskilled immigrants to come to Britain by requiring them to demonstrate their usefulness to the economy.

However, the system relied much more heavily on students being “sponsored” by colleges and universities. It soon emerged that bogus colleges were accrediting thousands of visa applications, while other students were simply failing to turn to courses where they had enrolled.

The National Audit Office found only a third of colleges had been inspected by the UK Border Agency to make sure they were genuine before the system came into force.

The report also strongly criticises the UK Border Agency’s efforts to find fake students. The National Audit Office took 800 cases considered too difficult by the immigration authorities and traced a quarter of these people within a week at a cost of just £3,000.

Last night, Damian Green, the immigration minister, claimed the Government had introduced “radical reforms in order to stamp out abuse and restore order to the uncontrolled student visa system we inherited”.

passport checks on foreigners at ports and airports without consulting ministers, allowing extremists and criminals to enter Britain.

The UK Border Agency now admits it now has no idea how many fake students are in the UK or how many genuine students have remained in the country after their leave to remain has expired.

The new “points-based” immigration regime introduced by Labour was supposed to made it harder for unskilled immigrants to come to Britain by requiring them to demonstrate their usefulness to the economy.

However, the system relied much more heavily on students being “sponsored” by colleges and universities. It soon emerged that bogus colleges were accrediting thousands of visa applications, while other students were simply failing to turn to courses where they had enrolled.

The National Audit Office found only a third of colleges had been inspected by the UK Border Agency to make sure they were genuine before the system came into force.

The report also strongly criticises the efforts to find fake students. The National Audit Office took 800 cases considered too difficult by the immigration authorities and traced a quarter of these people within a week at a cost of just £3,000.

Last night, Damian Green, the immigration minister, claimed the Government had introduced “radical reforms in order to stamp out abuse and restore order to the uncontrolled student visa system we inherited”.

“These measures are beginning to bite, we have already seen the number of student visas issued drop considerably in the second half of 2011,” he said.