LONDON: Recent restrictions to the Tier 4 Visa should come as no surprise. Previously in a speech from UK business secretary, Sajid Javid, on July 10 he said that the UK visa system will not be loosened for international students, despite experts saying that doing so would improve Britain’s slowing productivity. In fact the opposite is now happening. It is becoming more difficult for Tier 4 visa students to study in the UK.
The latest changes to the Tier 4 Visa announced on 13 July 2015 will now add even more restrictions on international students from outside the European Union. However, it will be students at publicly funded education colleges that will be affected the most. The changes for University students studying in the UK will not be so significant. Most of the changes will take place in August and November this year.
While launching the Conservative government’s plan to boost productivity, Mr Javid said “We’ve got to break the link” between studying in Britain and being able to stay in the UK on a permanent basis.
Addressing an audience in Birmingham Mr Javid said: “We don’t want a system where studying becomes a motive to settle in Britain and that’s their only motive. People coming to Britain to study should be studying, nothing more.”