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International students vital to Norfolk regional economy
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY CHARLES KELLY ON JUNE 6, 2012
POSTED UNDER: NEWS
Another UK university is urging the government to rethink restrictions on international students who, they claim provide 6 British jobs for every 10 students.
The University of East Anglia has warned that government plans to include international students in a new cap on immigration will have a “terrible” effect on the Norfolk and Norwich economy.
Edward Acton, vice-chancellor of the UEA, last night revealed its 2011 cohort of non-EU students would be worth £35.6m over the duration of their courses, and more than £20m just in their first year, in tuition fees alone.
He said a future reduction in numbers would leave the Norwich university a “much-diminished enterprise” and warned the impact on the city and county as a whole would also be significant.
His comments follow a letter sent to the prime minister by Universities UK, and signed by about 70 university leaders, detailing the economic impact the government’s crackdown could have.
Westminster has pledged to cut net immigration in the UK to less than 100,000 and that policy currently includes international students from non-EU countries.
With the latest immigration figures last month revealed to be a stubbornly-high 250,000, critics fear the only way to reach the target will be to reduce the number of foreign students granted visas.
10 international students were believed to support six jobs in the economy
Prof Acton said the UEA currently had 2,900 non-British students with 2,300 of them coming from outside the European Union. About 1,700 non-EU students joined the university in 2011 alone.
The vice-chancellor said every 10 international students were believed to support six jobs in the economy through their attendance at university and use of services in the community including cinemas, shops, bars and “everything you can think of in Norwich”.
“Cut that and we have a terrible effect on the Norfolk and Norwich economy,” he said. “For local businesses this is a really desirable source of demand. Hobbling it as the Home Office is doing is deeply bad news for the local, regional and national economy.
“At a time when our balance of payments is terrible and employment is ghastly, we will be hobbling what’s become a very, very important source of income.”
Students are one of the biggest sources of migrants in the UK and university leaders say foreign students are already being deterred as it becomes more and more difficult to secure visas.
Prof Acton’s concerns have been echoed by both the political and business worlds.
This week, Norfolk and Suffolk’s business community added its voice to the growing calls to discount international students from net immigration figures.
New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) wrote a letter to David Cameron stressing the need to “capitalise” on the growing trend to study abroad.
In the letter, New Anglia’s chairman Andy Wood said the plans would undermine local enterprise partnerships’ efforts to “remove impediments to the UK’s economic growth.”
He added: “Neither the country nor our university cities can afford the damage that current policy is doing to our position and once-welcoming image in key markets.”
South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon said he also strongly supported the UEA vice-chancellor’s position and knew many of his Westminster colleagues shared his view.
The politician said international students were “valuable economic assets”, not only in terms of the money generated through tuition fees but also that spent while living over here – and in the current economic climate the country could not afford to damage that.
Mr Bacon said very few international students went on to live and work long term in the UK and the government had to make sure it was concentrating on the right issue.
“They study, they get on a plane, and they go home,” he said. “I’ve not problem with the Home Office decision to break the link between study and full time work in the long term and the other thing I would strongly support is the crackdown on dodgy foreign language colleges. That is an absolute out and out abuse. I don’t think there’s anybody who wouldn’t support that. But that’s different from legitimate supporters of high quality educational institutions.”
Immigration minister Damian Green insisted universities would not be hit by the government’s immigration policy. He said: “There is no limit on the number of genuine students who can come to the UK and our reforms are not stopping them. But we are determined to prevent the abuse of student visas as part of our plans to get net migration down to the tens of thousands.” Source: Norwich Evening News.
UK Universities have finally woken up to the damaging consequences of changes to the Tier 4 immigration Rules.
Many will now face downsizing or even closure, as hundreds of thousands of what Mr Green describes as ’genuine’ students choose to spend their money in Australia, Canada and other countries which are seen to welcome international students.
However, most of the government’s restrictions were aimed not at universities, but at students who wanted to attend a cheaper private college to take a diploma or degree course.
Since July 2010 any international students applying for a visa to a private college are no longer able to work part time in the UK.
As private colleges have closed or had licences withdrawn, thousands of students have been given just 60 days to find another college or get out of the country.
One student who consulted Immigration Adviser Cynthia Barker, of Bison UK, had lost money at two institutions which had closed down. When he tried to join a university he was rejected because he could not obtain a progress report.
Cynthia said:
‘His life was been made a misery by the maze of rules which seemed to trip him up at every turn.
‘First he couldn’t find a university with a start date for his course, which was not easy with a 60 day sentence hanging over his head.
‘Then he had to go back to his parents for more money to change his visa as, unlike the previous rules which would have allowed a change of provider under the same student visa, he had to apply for and qualify a whole new visa.
‘He eventually found a university which would ‘accept’ him, but by this time he did not have the required funds for the exact amount of time in his account in order to apply and pay for another visa.’
Bison UK are now helping him with an appeal be allowed to study in the UK, but the whole experience has severely dented his confidence in the British system.
Thousands of students are suffering due to constant negative student policy changes which are driving fee paying students, and the British jobs they support, away.

@markenny
Thanks a lot for your great efforts and valuable assistance.God Be with you and Bless you abundantly.
I got your emails and I have added u on BB.
If we Nigerians can be of assistance to one another abroad,staying abroad ll be easy and nice.Really appreciate all your candid opinions.Msgs already sent to you.

The basic truth is that people from Non EU countries are beng targeted as a way of controlling immigration.This is an open secret.Its Non Eu country factor.Universities in UK are losing £Bs annually.

@Markenny,I believe as a British passport holder one can work full time in Germany.The major issue is learning the language.
If one can get ssomething to do and learn the language evening time.
You mentioned in one of your posts long time ago that some people work loading containers that's why I mentioned container loading.I am interested in Germany just to ship goods home but not immediately.
Really appreciate your readiness to advice people and express your candid views Why can't other people emulate this.

@Markenny
I tried to contact you before.I really need your guidance mostly on getting a job and a small room.
You once mentioned loading containers which is ok with me as a new comer.rafcrownus@yahoo.com is my email.Pls let's chat on getting a job way forward.

Man jailed for NHS fraud


29 May 2012

A man who used a forged passport to obtain a job with the NHS in Worcester has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Hereford Crown Court.


Ifeanyi Chuks Iheama, aged 38, arrived in the UK on a student visa but was refused an extension because he had submitted false documents.


But before he could be removed from the country, he went on the run.


However, after intelligence was received about Iheama's whereabouts, he was arrested by the UK Border Agency on 6 April 2011 at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust where he worked.


After Iheama was arrested, investigators found that he had obtained a false stamp in his Nigerian passport which showed that he had the right to work in the UK.


Iheama had used this forged passport to obtain employment with the trust's finance department in Worcester where he had worked from August 2009 until the day of his arrest.


Iheama was charged with two counts of possession of false identity documents and one count of fraud.
On 19 April 2012, after a trial at Worcester Crown Court, he was found guilty.


At Hereford Crown Court, he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for each of the three counts to run concurrently.
The UK Border Agency will seek to deport Iheama after he has served his sentence.

Neil Cross, from the UK Border Agency's Criminal and Financial Investigation team, said: "We are cracking down on immigration crime, detaining, prosecuting and removing people and gangs who have been abusing the immigration system. While this scam involved document fraud, we are also tackling sham marriages, illegal working and people smuggling."


Julia Dillon, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust's local counter fraud specialist, added: "Iheama's fraud was detected as a result of the national fraud initiative in collaboration with UK Border Agency colleagues.

Our trust has always given NFI a priority as we realise it is our duty to protect public money. The majority of NHS staff are extremely dedicated and honest but the Trust will not shy away from its responsibility to investigate fraud when suspicion is reported."

Anyone with possible information about immigration crime should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

I am a Nigerian with British Passport that would like to move to Germany.Any country man who can help will be greatly appreciated.Any job,any help will do.

Are u sure of that figure you quoted.It should be about 15 billion cedisthey quickly talk about millions.So a cedi or what do they call their currency there is about a US dollar .Can't believe that.

Criminal of the highest level ,looking for victims.

Its all big lies and fraud.Fake Passport

Look before you leap.All those countries u mentioned e get as e be.
Don't waste the money.U can let me buy goods from Europe and send to u,Or think well before u go as a Tourist to those countries.

The government should sit up and make the country attractive so that our youths will not have the excuse to be leaving Nigeria en masse. Nigeria is our only country; we should all work to make it better. Leaving our shores in droves to other developed lands will not solve the probleM

Try GHANA -THATS ABOUT 10 BiLLON AFTER CONVERSiON

From Totoro (Abeokuta)to
Toronto Canada from 11.00pm to 5.45am.,Nice sleep and dream.Woke up tired.

Whenever. and Wherever you see or meet a Nigerian
You must learn and remember to thank,respect them and praise them.Have you forgotton so soon.Your 'Sobata'days.Inferiority Compex ?
Whenever you see a Nigerian man or woman ,young or old YOU MUST say FATHER or MAMA with full respect.
By all means You ll foreVer be our SOBATAs-
Fellow Nigerians don't waste your valuable time discussing isssues with our former shoe repairers.We ll forever be your Masters- that is the will of God.Take your campaign elsewhere.

Would like to move to Australia from Uk.British Citizen and Masters in Career Counselling.Any great person to advice.rafcrownus@yahoo.com

@umar2 _Camry 1993 or 1997?

Please, what is the proper size of accommodation suitable for
Husband and wife -couple
Husband,wife and a child under 16
Couple and 2 kids under 16
Couple and 3 kids ,same sex ,under 16.
Happy New Year- in advance.

great topic

@niceguy04
Yes,the real people in charge of it.The services so superb that i told them that i ll direct people to them.You pay them direct there ,no agent and go and follow some normal procedures.Same day ,by 3pm you must have your epali.l got mine and another close person got as well from same people,same place and same amount
rafcrownus@yahoo.com and get the contact.

You can get it the same day at Abeokuta Ogun State also.Travel to Nigeria and get the epassport before you return to base

But a ROGUE

Haringey Council again.I Just want this borough to be merged with the other nearby boroughs of Camden,Enfield,Barnet and Hackney.Baby P,baby Musa .uncollected council tax etc

@razznaija
you listed more than 10

No wonder they all want second,third ,fourth term -elongated period

Before the end of the year ,other tribes ll soon be arrested .Greedy and unpatriotic citizens are all over the country -Hausas, lGBOS AND others

@kennybuda
l love to move there legally but need info about job,apartment and car business
adecrown22@gmail.com
/Austria/

Best of luck

@kennybuda
l love to move there legally but need info about job,apartment and car business
adecrown22@gmail.com

Your date of birth already stated in your passport
Dont over supply documents-only great ones ,not just any doc

Confidence
Relax
Why are u going?
When?
How Long?
Where to stay
Ego/Kudi,Owo
Assurances that you ll return after mission
Documents to support your claims
Be well dressed
etc

l HAVE about 20 used printers-not yet tested but all look great and neat.Can they be repaired or well serviced?What can i do with them?

A plot of land located close to lJEGUN LAGOS STATE
Uncompleted 3 bedrm flat at the back
Good Location and well developed area
Just N5.5M
Serious enquiries only adecrown22@gmail.com