UK Government Launches New Points-Based Visa System for International Students

The UK Government has announced about the new points-based immigration system recently. This new system will award points for some professional, skills, qualifications or salaries and based on these points, students will be awarded visas. 

The government of the UK with its long-anticipated, points-based immigration system is perfect. They feel this is going to welcome the best and the upcoming students from all parts of the world. This points-based immigration system could have been launched two years earlier, they feel.

UK visa points system requires the immigrant to pass a points-based assessment in four different criteria. The applicant must be sponsored by an employer to get paid the appropriate salary. The English language is compulsory. The applicant should be able to self-support his finances.

You must reach a point score above a minimum requirement if your application is to be accepted. The minimum number of points required varies as per the criteria you are applying.

Read More: UK Immigration: How is Brexit Affecting International Students to Study in the UK?

As the global system promises that EU and non-EU citizens are equal, the EU students will also have to follow the points-based system for study visas. The UK feels that by this, they will take back control of their borders.

According to UK home secretary Priti Patel, this will take back the control of their borders. Also, as there will be set points for migration, the rate of immigration will slow down. The people migrating will be bright, and the best from everywhere and will certainly help in boosting the economy and the standard of the population. It will result in the release of the country’s full potential.

Commencing from January 2021, the proposed changes require at least £25,600 a year earning to those who want to work in the UK. Besides this, they must have specific skills and qualifications, and most importantly, they must speak English.

Not only work, but the student visa will also be points-based. For a student visa, one needs to validate an offer from an approved educational institution. They will also have to prove that they can support themselves financially and of course, speak English.

A UK poll had earlier shown the believe that they welcome the skilled immigrants into the country. The Director of Universities in the UK welcomed the fact. They feel that the high skill level migrants and students will contribute to the UK economy and society.

As per NUS president Zamzam Ibrahim, the government has failed to listen to worries of students in forming this new points-based immigration system. The reinstatement of two-year post-study work visas is a positive step. But he feels the financial thresholds will open the access of the UK’s higher education to the wealthiest international students and not to the deserving.

According to the few experts, to fulfil the financial support, students must get financial support from the government, to meet the government’s target of 600,000 students to the UK by 2030.

The salary verge will make institutions challenging to recruit the staff they need and may have to deny the opportunity to the international background students. These plans will create further resistance for students and educational staff.

Read More: Integrated Study Work Visa Should be Introduced in the UK

70% of the existing EU workforce would be unable to meet the requirements of the skilled workers, bringing overall numbers down in future.

The experts feel this new system may also ban the best international students from graduating into the entrepreneurial. Also, this will prohibit them from working in charitable and creative industries. The public sector will also be affected.

There are a few pros and cons to this new point-based system for the immigrants.

Pros:

• This system is mostly transparent, as the applicants can review the selection criteria and decide if they meet the required points before applying. Thus, the applicants have a better chance of success, as they know the skills they need.
• Supporters of this program, feel this scheme will help politicians to keep their promises on immigration, and hit the target of skilled workforce.
• The new system will reduce immigration overall but will get the highly skilled people such as scientists and doctors.

Cons:

• According to few, a points-based system though is essential it requires comprehensive data collection on the immigration process, making it expensive.
• Some experts feel the points-based system could be open to abuse.
• They also feel it will not reduce the number of immigrants.