Asked by: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of visa applications involving the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, and Imperial College London, were successful in each of the last three years.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Visa refusal rate data is produced for internal use only and is not intended for publication.
The data requested provides sensitive information about sponsors’ compliance with their immigration requirements and by extension how likely they are to retain their sponsor licence. As this information could potentially impact their reputation and ability to attract international students, and therefore their commercial viability, we are unable to provide the information requested on the basis of commercial confidentiality.
Asked by: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which were the top 10 universities for successfully processed visa applications for each of the past three years; and what were the percentages of applications successfully processed for each.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Visa refusal rate data is produced for internal use only and is not intended for publication.
The data requested provides sensitive information about sponsors’ compliance with their immigration requirements and by extension how likely they are to retain their sponsor licence. As this information could potentially impact their reputation and ability to attract international students, and therefore their commercial viability, we are unable to provide the information requested on the basis of commercial confidentiality.
Asked by: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to implement the recommendation in the Smith Commission Report on post-study work visas; and if so, how.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We will shortly be publishing the Government’s response to the recommendations made in the Scottish Affairs Committee’s report: “Post-study work schemes”.
Asked by: Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations took place with the Scottish Government in advance of the announcement of the pilot study on post-study work visas in July.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We have been in correspondence with the Scottish Government concerning the Tier 4 visa pilot. There is no pilot study currently being conducted into post-study work visas.
The Tier 4 visa pilot is part of the Home Office’s continued efforts to ensure that the UK maintains an excellent offer to attract the brightest and best to study at our world-leading institutions. The pilot is deliberately narrow in scope, with the institutions selected on the basis of their consistently low level of visa refusals. Its main aim is to test the benefits of a differentiated approach within Tier 4, whilst ensuring any changes do not undermine the robust application of immigration requirements.
The pilot helps simplify the visa application process for international students looking to study on a Masters’ course, in the UK, of 13 months or less. Whilst it will also help to support students who wish to switch into a work route by extending the leave period following the end of their study to up to six months, it does not make any changes to the Tier 2 visa route and is not a return to the post-study work visa route.
The four selected institutions were consulted regarding its implementation. Should the pilot be successful, the Home Office will consult key stakeholders about its possible expansion.