Immigration news

A study released by Migrationwatch UK has called into question claims by the UK government that the UK is attracting 'the brightest and the best' international students to study at British universities.

The study shows that only 5% of students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) attend the top ten universities in the country and only 12.5% attend one of the 'Russell Group' of universities, which are the top 24 universities in the UK.

The report says that many postgraduate students from outside the EEA attend universities which are considered to be of lower quality.

A law introduced last year to crack down on illegal immigration in the US state of Alabama has failed to deliver the benefits for local people that its sponsors predicted, according to US government figures.

On 1st October 2011, Alabama introduced a 'self-deportation' law similar to that introduced in 2010 in Arizona. The law made it harder for illegal workers to access public services. The intention was to make illegal workers leave.

The right wing think tank Policy Exchange has published a report that says that the UK could become a world centre for hi-tech industry if it makes considerable improvements to its education results in relevant subjects and adopts innovative policies to foster hi-tech industries such as granting probationary visas to international graduates in hi-tech subjects.

The report says that, if the UK wants to become a leading player in the digital economy, it must greatly improve the standard of its education system in the STEM subjects; science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

A High Court judge has ordered that overseas students who are studying at London Metropolitan University (LMU) should be allowed to continue with their courses despite a UK Border Agency (UKBA) decision to ban LMU from teaching students from outside the European Economic Area. Mr Justice Irwin made the order at a hearing on Friday 21st September 2012. He also granted LMU the right to challenge the UKBA decision in the High Court by way of judicial review.

Australian politicians have questioned the validity of asylum claims made by Sri Lankan nationals after 16 Sri Lankan nationals held on Christmas Island were sent back to Sri Lanka at their own request rather than be sent to Nauru while their asylum claims are processed.

The Canadian Immigration Minister, Jason Kenney, has urged the Canadian parliament to pass legislation that would allow Canada to remove foreign criminals from Canada more quickly.

Speaking on Monday 24th September 2012, Mr Kenney said that the proposed Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act would 'make it easier for the government to remove dangerous foreign criminals, make it harder for those who may pose a risk to Canada to enter the country and remove barriers for genuine visitors who want to come to Canada'.