Transcript Slide 1

Managing Tier 4 sponsored
students
An update for staff as we approach the next
phase of implementation of Tier 4 (T4) of the
Points Based Immigration System for students
in February 2010.
3rd December 2009
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Phases of PBS
• The university registers as a Tier 4 sponsor of migrant students
(Phase 1)
• New format paper visa letters from March 2009 (Phase 2)
• New record keeping (passport copying) requirements from
September 2009 (Phase 2)
• Optional Trial of CAS and reporting –not us –(Phase 3)
• Replacement of visa letter with electronic CAS (Certificate of
Acceptance of Study) from February 2010 (Phase 4)
• New Reporting requirements for CAS sponsored students from
February 2010 (Phase 4)
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Emerging issues for us -1
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We currently identify T4 students ( March 09 to Feb 10) by whether we have
issued a T4 sponsor letter for them
But they may not have used it, for various reasons, and therefore fall outside
T4 restrictions
Only way to tell is to check the copies of visa details on the ID card or the visa
page on the passport. The sponsored flag on STU where they are not in fact T4
can be set to N, which keeps them outside our T4 management reports.
Documents are currently held as paper copies in schools
Registry/Schools will need to continue to work with these arrangements for
this group of T4 students - for assessment, re-assessment, Student
Maintenance/R1s, and visa extensions for example
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Emerging issues for us -2
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Some changes to students enrolment record will not be possible without
taking sponsored student outside their leave to remain conditions e.g.
intermitting – encourage students to take visa advice before making changes
Students should be advised to contact [email protected]
We are altering GEAR to ensure that we don’t disadavantage sponsored
students by the UKBA restriction on number of attempts
Foundation Degrees and Certificates ( anything below ordinary degree level
must now involve minimum 15 hours per week classroom based teaching )
agreed by Academic Standards Committee & Partner Colleges to implement
Re-assessment work can now create problems where demonstrating that the
pattern of study is monitorable within the 60 day rule (see accompanying
paper) – part year repeats and extensions to deadlines for PGT
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Emerging issues for us -3
• Once we start with CAS issue, there will be a CAS record on SITS (called
the VCR!)to identify our T4 sponsored students
• We will get status updates from the UKBA on the CAS’es and what
happens to them
• For next year we are asking the university for money to buy SITS
Document Manager to hold scanned copies of passports and visas on
the student record.
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Replacement of Visa letter
Largely affects Registry admissions and student administration.
Data passed directly from university to UKBA – copy info only to
applicant/student
We must have passport details to sponsor now
Students are effectively tied to the institution they are sponsored by –
certain changes theoretically possible, but not certain to be approved
by UKBA
The student is increasingly expected to go home where they break their
study – serious implications for the student
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Monitoring expected contacts
• Words such as student engagement with their study, expected
contacts, interactions, continued participation are used
• Registry Records and Fees will be running interim monitoring for
sponsored students from March to September 2010
• A Monitoring Working Group has been set up to define, with the
PBS Steering Group approving, and Schools implementing for
September 2010 onwards. Stakeholder meetings in late January
• Schools to decide what their interactions are – UKBA has
provided some suggestions....
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Expected interactions to show engagement/: Examples from UKBA Tier 4 sponsor
guidance
attendance at any lesson, lecture, tutorial or seminar (as relevant to the level of
study);
attendance at any test, examination or assessment board;
submission of assessed or un-assessed coursework;
submission of 'interim' dissertation/coursework/reports;
attendance at any meeting with a supervisor or personal tutor;
attendance at any 'research method' or 'research panel' meetings. or at 'writing
up' seminars or 'doctoral workshops';
attendance at a viva;
registration (matriculation/enrolment); and
attendance at an appointment with a welfare advisor or an international student
adviser.
This list is not exhaustive
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Possible outline of the new process
• Schools will monitor to an agreed framework for Taught students, PGRs,
and Placements
• Registry will provide the SITS facility to record interactions electronically
• Students will be warned if there is concern that they are not engaged well
before they are reported and given the opportunity to re-engage
• Students will have the opportunity to respond (we must consider the
timescale for this since we have to report within 10 working days of the
10th missed contact)
• Schools will notify Registry if a student should be reported (new SITS
software should help with this)
• Registry will report to UKBA
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UKBA Reporting requirements - 1
Reporting certain student events to the UKBA becomes compulsory with CAS issue. So for us, this
applies to students sponsored from February 2010.
Enrolment
If a sponsored student does not enrol on his/her course within the enrolment period. The report
must be provided within 10 working days and must include any reason given by the student for
his/her non-enrolment (for example a missed flight)
For UKBA reporting purposes only the “enrolment period” is agreed as course start plus 30
days.
Change of circumstances
If the student discontinues their studies or there are significant changes in their circumstances
(e.g. withdraw, change course length, place of study, defer) within 10 working days.
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UKBA Reporting requirements -2
Unauthorised absence
If a sponsored student misses 10 expected consecutive contacts, without the sponsor’s
reasonably granted permission. In this case, the report must be provided within 10 working days
of the 10th missed contact
Stop Sponsoring
Registry reports to the UKBA when a student’s visa expires, or the student completes their
course
University directs student to leave the country
Where student leaves their course, for whatever reason , the University must now issue a
letter to the student advising them that they must not work and should now leave the
country. They must re-apply (out of country) before they can return.
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UKBA Reporting requirements - 3
Applicants deferring entry
To report to the UKBA all deferrals - including those where an applicant with CAS decides to
defer their study BEFORE enrolling
Agents
Details of any agents used for applications. All our agent relationships must be formalised now,
and be agreed with the International office
Co-operation with UKBA
We must allow access to our records for UKBA staff investigating either us as a sponsoring
organisation or our individual students.
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Communicating PBS to you
• Announcements of updates by email
• Presence on Staffcentral and RASCALS
• Trying to keep information fairly high level with
operating procedures issued as they are needed
• Thanks for schools dealing with all the late
changes to passport and visa recording – the
complexity grew rapidly – the UKBA changed
things in September
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The bigger picture
• Very political at a national level
• UUK lobbying hard for the sector- limited
response
• Now trying for university’s to be granted “highly
trusted status” – lighter touch?
• UKCISA issuing reporting practise guidelines in
December – will help us
• Things will no doubt go on changing
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