Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 December (HL3326), whether the staff who actually carry out the application reviews for entry clearance applications made in Nepal are aware of that policy, and whether checks are carried out to ensure that is so.

All visa applications are considered under the Immigration Rules. As the Immigration Rules do not state that there needs to be a demand for specific graduates in the students’ home country, the degree subject is not a consideration for the Entry Clearance Officer.

Any student application refused under PBS Tier 4 of the Immigration Rules can be subject to an Administrative Review (AR). The AR is conducted by an official at a more senior grade than the original decision maker.