UK: Sussex overseas students leads visa limitations

The International Students' Office at the University of Sussex has been inundated with emails and inquiries from foreign students worried about the proposed clampdown on visas and work rights for non-EU students.

"We have an e-mail to all international students to inform them of the seriousness of the situation and ask them to comment," said a manager. "We are flooded with mails from students expressing their concerns about the proposals."

The measures include raising the English language proficiency requirement, tighter restrictions on right to work and their dependents non-EU international students’ right to work during the period of study, restrictions on graduates continue on to work and stricter visa application procedures for extending periods of study.

Students have the proposals shortsighted and unfair called.

Hard Lee Yong, a graduate student from South Korea, said: "I came to study the UK and get a work experience Now the government wants the post study work route completely close this my career plan risk I would not ...’t come all the way and spend so much money if I knew that I would have to look for a job elsewhere.”

Quoted several students post-work visa as an important reason for choosing to study in the UK.

Tessa Mugabe, a PhD student from Malawi, said: "I'm not sure what kind of message Damian Green, the minister immigration, wants to send to potential foreign students The current proposals clearly indicate that foreign students are not welcome.”

She said most of the top universities in the UK employ academics from all over the world to stay competitive in the market for education and research. But the student immigration proposals would go against the whole idea of ​​diversity and competitiveness.

"More often than not, foreign students coming to the UK are the brightest of their own countries. They work in highly skilled jobs and contribute to the development and prosperity of the UK's," she said.

Often look for part-time employment to cover part of the tuition fees - - concerned about the hardships facing the restriction on employment of students left.

At present, all Tier 4 (General) students are able to work full time during their holidays, and 20 hours of part-time during term time, depending on the level of the course. Under the new proposal, students will be allowed to work only on campus during the week, and as many hours as they want the campus on weekends and during holidays.

Klink Sheikh Hsian of Bangladesh said: "Many of us come from poor and developing countries; the value of our currency is much less when compared to the sterling pound part-time is the only way to cover a part of the finances.  ... If they work on campus working to limit, only a handful of students find work. "

Students complain the proposal of the same criteria for the evaluation of all students, regardless of the financial and academic needs. Some accused Britain of deprived his moral responsibility towards its former colonies.

Cabala Ntabeni, an MA student from South Africa, said: "Many of the students come from poor and conflict-ridden countries, many of them from the former colonies of the British Empire the cultural, economic and social conditions in their countries cannot be conducive for their return immediately to study. The UK can turn a blind eye to its responsibility to the students. "

Husain Armed, an exchange scholar from Iraq, added: "The attack on Iraq the academic culture destroyed The United Kingdom is as much responsible as the US for the destruction of the war, both countries should implement special policies academics and students encouraging  ... from Iraq and help build higher education.”