Filipina NVQ Student obtains a 3 years visa after being refused by the British Embassy in Manila.

Her visa was refused last November after she has submitted the VAF herself.  

The case was overturned this month, following an appeal, prior to a full hearing scheduled for 11 August 2009 at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) in London. 

She was helped by Immigration Advisers, Bison UK, which has successfully handled hundreds of entry clearance appeals. 

The student has now reported to Majestic College, and will shortly start her NVQ Health and Social Care Course. 

Visa appeals have been abolished for student visa refusals applying under Tier 4 in line with new ‘points based’ rules.

Students refused entry clearance under Tier 4 of the points based system, which took effect on 31 March 2009, will now have their cases reviewed by an ECM (Entry Clearance Manager) under the new ‘Administrative Review’ system.

Refusals under paragraph 57 of the previous immigration rules will still be allowed a full appeal. Therefore, if your student visa application (VAF) was submitted before 31 March 2009 (which are still being processed at larger Embassies), you should still have the right of appeal.

Fortunately, this student has the opportunity to appeal and the benefit of an OISC regsitered Immigration Adviser, Bison UK, handing her case at the AIT.

Overseas students are worth £8 billion to the UK economy, according to the Home Office. 

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

www.majesticcollege.org

www.recruitnurse.com

www.visaappeals.com

As yet another Filipino NVQ Student wins a Visa appeal, in the UK at the AIT (Asylum and Immigration Tribunal), after being refused by the British Embassy in Manila, we are receiving an alarming number of reports of pedantic refusals under Tier 4, for which there is no appeal.

Visa appeals have been abolished for student visa refusals applying under Tier 4 in line with new ‘points based’ rules.

Students refused entry clearance under Tier 4 of the points based system, which took effect on 31 March 2009, will now have their cases reviewed by an ECM (Entry Clearance Manager) under the new ‘Administrative Review’ system.

ECM’s reviewing cases under the old appeal system almost always upheld their officers refusal and appellants ad to go all the way to a full hearing for justice to be served up by an Immigration Judge.

Entry Clearance Officers (ECO) now have a far more narrow scope under which they can refuse a Tier 4 application, as student visa refusals must be based on factual information, such as a forged document or incorrect visa letter. For instance, if the applicant submitted a false bank statement or the college produce a letter for the wrong course.

The UK Border Agency assured educational providers at several meetings in London that the new system will be more straightforward and that the ‘culture’ in Embassies would change.

But it appears that some ECO’s are still upholding the tradition and culture of looking for any excuse to deny a student visa application.

Tier 4 only started just over three months ago, yet student applicants are already reporting that they have been refused for reasons such as the college not stating the word ‘General’, as in ‘General Student Visa’, on the visa letter.

Others complain that they are denied over a missing phrase in the letter, which leads the ECO to conclude “on the balance of probabilities…etc, etc, etc”.

In other words it’s ‘business as usual’ down at your local visa post.

Refusals under paragraph 57 of the previous immigration rules will still be allowed a full appeal. Therefore, if your student visa application (VAF) was submitted before 31 March 2009 (which are still being processed at larger Embassies), you should still have the right of appeal. Fortunately, this student has the opportunity to appeal and the benefit of an OISC regsitered Immigration Adviser, Bison UK, handing his case at the AIT. He has now reported to Majestic College, where he will start his NVQ Health and Social Care Course.

If you have any ’Tier 4′ horror stories, share them with Immigration Matters in the comments section below, which will be reported to the UK Border Agency. 

Overseas students are worth £8 billion to the UK economy, according to the Home Office. It is vital that these issues are dealt with quickly by the Government, otherwise educational providers and the economy ar large will lose out.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

NVQ student wants to start her own care home in the Philippines and has come to the UK to learn the “British way” of doing things!

She is taking NVQ Health and Social Care course combined with paid work placements arranged by Immigration Advisers Bison UK.

www.majesticcollege.org

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

NVQ Student discusses her new HSBC account, which includes a free SIM card and £10 credited to the account.

Majestic College has a special arrangement with HSBC for opening bank accounts for their students, which can be difficult for overseas students and migrant workers.

Before this student visa holder has even started her paid work placement she already has money in her new UK bank account.

www.majesticcollege.org

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

According to the Report on Jobs, published this month by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and audit, tax and advisory insight group KPMG, while permanent placements continued to decrease over the course of the month, it was the weakest drop in over a year.

Furthermore, demand for staff also declined at a slower pace, while a further drop in staff pay was noted.

Commenting on the findings, Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, said the UK jobs market was showing “signs of life”.

“Flexible working options will provide a crucial way back into work for a number of jobseekers which is why we must ensure that the new regulations covering agency work do not limit these opportunities,” he advised.

This may be particularly important, after the Trade Union Congress recently reported that job losses will continue until autumn 2010 as businesses put any expansion plans on hold. Source HR Review.

Immigration Matters Comment

The availability of jobs in the Care Industry and Customer Service sector remains strong according to the people on the ground – i.e. those who place candidates in jobs and those who find and do the jobs.

Healthcare recruitment and immigration specialist Evelie Padadac, of Bison UK, said she has no problems in finding jobs for qualified NMC registered Nurses and Care Assistants in Care Homes throughout the UK.

“We are still seeing a strong demand for nursing and care staff and I have placed candidates, some of them overseas students taking NVQ courses, in jobs within a day or so of them arriving to see me.

“In some cases, student candidates find two or three alternative positions themselves whilst waiting to be interviewed or for their CRB check!”

The recently published UK Border Agency’s approved shortage occupation lists for Tier 2 of the points-based System, includes for the first time Care Assistants and Home Carers at a reduced qualification and experience threshold.

Under the Work Permit scheme, which was replaced by Tier 2 last November, a skilled Senior Care Worker had to be qualified to NQF (National Qualification Framework) level 3 and have three years relevant experience. 

But following recommendations by the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)  The Government have that the qualification threshold for overseas Social Care Workers be reduced to NQF Level 2, the relevant experience to just two years and the minimum salary cut from £8.80 to £7.80. 

Other shortage occupations on the new official list include: Maths and Science Teachers at secondary level, Medical practitioners in certain specialist areas, specialist Nurses and Pharmacists.

Do you agree with the REC?

Do you think the job market is improving in your area?

Add your comments to this post - express your views!

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Related articles:

New Government-approved shortage occupation lists for Tier 2 of the Points Based System

Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship from an employer does not guarantee you a working visa

NVQ Students arrive in UK and with the help of Majestic College get £10 and Sim card for opening a bank account at HSBC.

They are taking NVQ in Health and Social Care and Cusomer Service courses.

Majestic College has a special arrangement with HSBC for opening bank accounts for their students. As part of the package HSBC give students a pack containing a London Guide, a free sim card for cheaper calls abroad and credit their account with £10!

They haven’t even started their paid work placement yet and already have money in their new UK bank account.

www.majesticcollege.org

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

The unsettled weather and occasional showers did nothing to dampen the spirits of the estimated 50,000 crowd.

Students of Majestic College, which along with Bison UK and Immigration Matters supported the event, turned up in their hundreds. Most of the first time visitors to the 25 year old event, the biggest of its kind outside the Philippines, were amazed at the sheer scale of the fiesta.

As far as I could see and from what was reported by Police Officers on the ground, there was no trouble, no muggings and no violence at the good natured celebration of Filipino culture.

Many of the enquiries received by immigration advisers Bison UK at their stall concerned the Borders Immigration and Citizenship Bill, which could become law next week.

Other concerns included student visas and the Tier 4 changes and obtaining indefinite leave to remain for work permit holding senior carers. Bison UK has successfully extended a large number of Senior Carer work permits and helped qualifying migrants obtain ILR and British Citizenship.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Settlement, Citizenship, Sponsorship, extending Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal email: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Three young Filipino NVQ Students from Mindanao arrive at Majestic College in the UK and get £10 for opening a bank account!

Majestic College has a special arrangement with HSBC for opening bank accounts for their students. As part of the package HSBC give students a free sim card and credit their account with £10!

The students are taking NVQ Health and Social Care courses combined with paid work placements in a UK care home, arranged by Immigration Advisers Bison UK.

www.majesticcollege.org

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

A large NVQ College has closed down leaving Filipino students “high and dry” after paying hundreds of pounds in upfront fees weeks before the owners pulled the plug on its Wembley office.

Since Precision Training collapsed students have been sent letters by a company called ‘Aspire Training’, which claims to have taken over from Precision due to ‘Precision Training going into liquidation’. 

NVQ awarding body EDEXCEL had imposed sanctions against Precision as far back as May 2008, preventing them from taking on new students, it is alleged. 

OTHER IMMIGRATION MATTERS STORIES THIS WEEK

7 Steps for overseas students when your college fails

What should you do if you are a victim of Precision Training or another bankrupt college?

As a student on a student visa, you must be in ‘full time study in order to comply with your visa conditions. If your college is not providing you with full time courses, or has gone out of business, you should register with another training provider, which is on the Government-approved Tier 4 Sponsors Register. Cynthia Barker, Immigration adviser and Centre Manager for Majestic College gives you 7 Steps…Full Story

Cynthia also said that her team would be as “flexible as possible” on initial fees to help students who have lost money with Precision or other failed NVQ colleges.

You can find out more about Majestic College at http://www.majesticcollege.org/ or email them at info@majesticcollege.org.

Drop in visitors welcome – no appointment needed!

How to check out a UK Limited Company

I am often asked by Immigration Matters readers – overseas students or job hunters - if a company offering them a course or work placement is legitimate. The internet has given birth to millions scams including those offering people bogus jobs, usually requiring applicants to send money in advance for Work Permit applications or flights…Full story

UKBA arrest illegal immigrant on his wedding day

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has arrested and deported an illegal immigrant on his wedding day last week. There were no “many happy returns” from the UKBA as officers arrested the 29 year Jamaican minutes before he was due to marry his British fiancée on Friday 3 July at Birmingham Register Office…Full story

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/

The internet has given birth to millions scams including those offering people bogus jobs, usually requiring applicants to send money in advance for Work Permit applications or flights.

A number of NVQ colleges, such as Affinity and Precision Training UK, have gone out of business recently leaving students ‘high and dry’.

Regulated firms in certain sectors are relatively easy to check. For instance, educational providers offering courses to overseas non EU students must be on the UK Border Agency’s sponsors register.

If you are an international student applying for a course from abroad the first step is to make sure the college is on the official UK Border Agency Tier 4 Sponsors Register.

You can check yourself by going to the UK Border website at – http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pointsbasedsystem/registerofsponsorseducation.

If the provider is not on the register, do not enrol, even if they are in the process of applying.

UK Immigration Advisers are listed on the OISC register, Solicitors are listed with the Law Society and so on.

Please take note. The fact that a company is listed or registered as a business or college is no guarantee that it is legitimate or solvent, or indeed that the person offering you the service is connected with that company.

It is important that you carry out your own ‘due diligence’ and satisfy yourself that a business is sound and that you are actually dealing with that business.

Here are some simple tips on checking out UK limited, or incorporated, companies.

An easy way of checking out any UK registered limited company is to carry out a free Companies House WebCheck  on the official companies register at:

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/41aa73ba7639ea6c7f306b71541cf968/wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo

This simple check, which you can do from anywhere in the world, will reveal whether or not the company, or corporation, exists, when it was formed and if it is still in business or ‘Dissolved’. 

It will also tell you when they filed their last accounts and if their return is overdue.

For instance, a quick check on Precision Training UK Limited reveals their status as: “Active – Proposal to Strike off”, which means they are about to be struck off and will cease to exist.

Considering the company is still offering courses on its website, this information should warn you to stay well clear of this outfit.

The WebCheck also shows that the company has “No Accounts Filed” and their Annual Return is “Overdue”. This is quite common for new businesses and whilst it does not mean the company is going under, it is not a good sign.

Companies House will not list the details of Sole Traders or partnerships.

You can also purchase a credit report from the many credit referencing agencies, like Experian and Equifax.

But the best way to check out a college is by old fashioned ‘word of mouth’ and references.

Ask around, pick up the phone, visit or send a friend, do your own investigations and you’ll be surprised what you can find out.

There is also a lot of free information available on the internet and services such as Google Earth even allow you to view an address or premises on line.

Embassies and trade associations also provide services to their citizens via their posts.

Finally, use your judgement and common sense – if something seems too good to be true it usually is. 

See also:

How to spot a fake job offer

7 Steps for overseas students when your college fails

Do you have any suggestions for checking out a business? If so write your comments below.

If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:

info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk