political news

Foreign student visas to be cut by UK

Mr Johnson said tougher rules would require applicants to speak English to a certain level and ban those on short UK courses from bringing dependants.

He said the rules were aimed not at genuine students but those who travelled to the UK primarily for work.

It comes in the wake of the alleged failed Detroit plane bombing.

Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who is charged with attempting to blow up a plane on Christmas Day, had studied in London and had linked up with al-Qaeda in Yemen after leaving the UK.

In 2008/9, about 240,000 student visas were issued by the UK.

A Home Office spokesman said the change would have a "significant impact" on the number issued this year but would not confirm reports it could cut the figure by tens of thousands.

News of the measures, which will not require legislation and will be introduced within weeks, comes a week after student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were suspended amid a big rise in cases.

'Raise the bar'

Last year the UK introduced a system requiring students wishing to enter the country to secure 40 points under its criteria.

However, the government has faced criticism that this has allowed suspected terrorists and other would-be immigrants into the UK, only for them to stay on despite their visas being temporary.

In a statement, Mr Johnson said he made "no apologies for strengthening an already robust system".

He added: "We created our points-based system so that we could respond quickly to changing circumstances, when necessary, to raise the bar students have to meet to come to the UK.

"We remain open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study - they remain welcome.

"But those who are not seriously interested in coming here to study but come primarily to work - they should be in no doubt that we will come down hard on those that flout the rules."

Under the measures:

• Successful applicants from outside the EU will have to speak English to a level only just below GCSE standard, rather than beginner level as at present.

• Students taking courses below degree level will be allowed to work for only 10 hours a week, instead of 20 as at present.

• Those on courses which last under six months will not be allowed to bring dependants into the country, while the dependants of students on courses below degree level will not be allowed to work.

• Additionally, visas for courses below degree level will also be granted only if the institutions they attend are on a new register, the Highly Trusted Sponsors List.

Last weekend it emerged the UK Border Agency had temporarily suspended student visa applications from northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Officials said they were acting after the system had been overwhelmed and concerns had been raised that many cases were not genuine.