#uk student visa new rules 2020

[beardedmrbean]

India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil.

India said the temporary move was due to "security threats" disrupting work at its missions in Canada.

Tensions flared this week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said India may have been behind the 18 June killing.

But Mr Trudeau said on Thursday he was not looking to provoke India with the allegation.

India has angrily rejected the allegation, calling it "absurd".

Speaking to reporters in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Mr Trudeau said: "There is no question that India is a country of growing importance and a country we need to continue to work with."

He said Canada was not looking to provoke India or cause problems with the allegation but is unequivocal about the importance of the rule of law and protecting Canadians.

Relations between the countries - key trade and security partners, and US allies - have been strained for months. Analysts say they are now at an all-time low.

India's government swiftly made clear the suspension of visa services also "applies to Canadians in a third country".

"There have been threats made to our high commission [embassy] and consulates in Canada," a foreign affairs ministry spokesman in Delhi said. "This has disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly [they] are temporarily unable to process visa applications."

He said: "India is looking for parity in rank and diplomatic strength between the diplomatic missions of the two countries. This is being sought because of Canadian diplomatic interference in our internal affairs."

Hours earlier Canada had announced it was reducing its personnel in India, saying some diplomats had received threats on social media.

"In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats," a statement said.

Canada's visa services remain open in India.

The two countries have historic close ties - and much is at stake.

How India-Canada ties descended into a public feud

Why are some Sikhs calling for a separate state?

Canada has 1.4 million people of Indian origin - more than half of them Sikhs - making up 3.7% of the country's population, according to the 2021 census. India also sends the highest number of international students to Canada - in 2022, they made up 40% of total overseas students at 320,000.

According to Indian government statistics, about 80,000 Canadian tourists visited India in 2021, behind only the US, Bangladesh and UK.

The row burst into the open on Monday after Canada linked India with the murder of separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead in his vehicle by two masked gunmen outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada's intelligence agencies were investigating whether "agents of the government of India" were involved in the killing of Nijjar - who India designated a terrorist in 2020.

India reacted strongly, saying Canada was trying to "shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists" who had been given shelter there. The Indian government has often reacted sharply to demands by Sikh separatists in Western countries for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh homeland.

On Thursday, Mr Trudeau was pressed by journalists about what evidence there was that suggested India was linked to the murder.

He did not share further details, but said "the decision to share these allegations was not done lightly".

"It was done with the utmost seriousness," Mr Trudeau said, urging Indian officials to cooperate with the investigation into the killing.

A spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry said Canada has not shared specific information with India on Nijjar's murder.

"We have conveyed this to the Canadian side, made it clear to them that we are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us," said Arindam Bagchi on Thursday. "But so far we have not received any such specific information."

The Khalistan movement peaked in India in the 1980s with a violent insurgency centred in Sikh-majority Punjab state.

It was quelled by force and has little resonance in India now, but is still popular among some in the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, Australia and the UK.

[thestoriesofimmigration]

Australia, UK, Canada Move to Stem International Student Intake

Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom experienced a boom in overseas students after the pandemic which has led them to tighten policy, mainly to reduce record levels of net migration.

But their approaches to student policy tightening have been quite different.

The booms were due to very similar factors:

International education providers desperate to recover their finances after the restrictions in recruiting new students during COVID;

COVID era policy settings that sought to retain students who were already in the country and attract more students once borders opened up;

Massive economic and budget stimulus during COVID led to unprecedented labour shortages as these nations opened their borders after COVID.

United Kingdom's poor policy

UK student visa grants reached nearly 490,000 in 2022, an 81% increase over pre-pandemic levels and a 29% increase on the previous year. Lobby group Universities UK issued a report celebrating a massive net economic contribution from overseas students.  

The boom in students, including student dependents, led to a rapid increase in net migration to the UK to 745,000 in 2022, setting off panic in the UK Government and tightening of immigration policy. As a result, net migration for the 12 months to June 2023 fell to 672,000.

In May of 2023, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced that only international postgrad students on research courses would be allowed to bring family members with them.

In the 12 months before June 2019, dependants accounted for 6% of non-EU student immigration. That rose to 25% in June 2023. In the 12 months to June 2019, dependants accounted for 37% of non-EU work immigration, rising to 48% in June 2023.

The new rule came into force from January 2024. But the signals from the UK Government set off a rapid decline in overseas students to the UK. For the academic year starting January 2024:

Overall deposit payments to UK education providers are down 52% compared to January 2023.

Confirmation of acceptance for studies is down 64%.

Visa issuance is down 71%.

The surge in overseas students in 2021 and 2022 and then the rapid decline is putting many UK universities into severe financial stress. A poor policy outcome.

Moreover, the UK approach is not about attracting the brightest and best students (apart from those doing post-graduate research degrees) but attracting those who don’t have dependents or are prepared to be separated from their dependents. Yet again, poor policy.

Canada's missteps

After a 17% decline in study permits in 2020 to 528,190, there was an increase in 2021 to 621,565 and to 807,150 in 2022. It is likely to have increased further in 2023.

On 24 January 2024, the Canadian Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said:

The integrity of the international student system has been threatened. Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper supports they need to succeed. Rapid increases in the number of international students arriving in Canada also puts pressure on housing, health care and other services. As we work to better protect international students from bad actors and support sustainable population growth in Canada, the government is moving forward with measures to stabilise the number of international students in Canada.

After re-imposing restricted work rights, the Minister also announced:

Canada will set an intake cap on international student permit applications to stabilise new growth for a period of two years. For 2024, the cap is expected to result in approximately 360,000 approved study permits, a decrease of 35% from 2023. In the spirit of fairness, individual provincial and territorial caps have been established, weighted by population, which will result in much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth. Study permit renewals will not be impacted. Those pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, and elementary and secondary education are not included in the cap. Current study permit holders will not be affected.

In essence, the Government of Canada has dumped the complex and controversial role of determining study permit allocations to individual education providers to the provinces and territories. They will each need to develop a process for doing this by the end of March 2024.

This process if to be in place for two years during which the Canadian Government will:

Continue to work with provinces and territories, designated learning institutions and national education stakeholders on developing a sustainable path forward for international students, including finalizing a recognized institution framework, determining long-term sustainable levels of international students and ensuring post-secondary institutions are able to provide adequate levels of student housing.

The problem with this temporary approach will become manifest very soon as each province and territory rushes to come up with its own process for prioritising education providers and students leading to mass confusion in the market.

If the Federal Government is concerned there are "bad actors" in the system, it should be targeting those for policy and/or prosecutorial action rather than leaving this to the provinces/territories. This approach will inevitably lead to these "bad actors" targeting the provinces and territories with the weakest processes. It will also lead to a system where poorly performing students may have just as much chance of receiving a study permit as high-performing students, hardly a case of trying to attract the brightest and best.

Australia’s approach

Compared to the dramatic approaches taken in the UK and Canada, the Australian Government has taken a much more gradual approach introducing a range of student policy tightening in the second half of 2023. While these measures generally have merit, they have to date had little impact in slowing the rate of offshore student visa applications which continued to set all-time records to November 2023.

To slow the rate of student arrivals, the Government has cranked up student visa refusals using highly subjective criteria. In 2023-24, Australia will set a record in the number of students refused a visa, particularly in the October-December period of 2023. But very high rates of visa refusals are usually an indicator of poor visa design and excessive use of subjective criteria. The approach is unsustainable in the longer term as it wastes the resources of applicants, education providers and visa processing operations.

Moreover, the risk is that if the rate of refusals is not high enough and net migration does not fall as forecast, the Government will be under pressure to take more panicked measures such as a student visa cap.

The Government needs urgently to go back to the drawing board and come up with objective criteria that will both reduce the volume of student visa applications while encouraging the highest performing students.

Source: Independent Australia

[a2aischannel]

It felt like my way out’: why students from India come to the UK to study

It felt like my way out’: why students from India come to the UK to study

The aspiration to travel abroad for university and work has long been ubiquitous across  India In a country of 1.4 billion people, places at India’s top universities are excruciatingly competitive and graduate job prospects at the other end are gloomy. India’s economy is the fifth largest in the world but unemployment topped 8% last month, with graduate unemployment even higher at about 18%.

In 2022, 770,000 Indian students went to study abroad, and that number is growing by about 10% every year. Out of those last year almost 140,000 went to the UK. According to new figures from the Office for   National Statistics, close to a quarter of all visas were granted to Indian nationals in 2022 – the highest of any nationality – and 55% of those were for students.

For those in the middle and upper classes who have the means to send their children abroad for university, it has long been a choice between the US and the UK, both for cultural ease – English is largely the second language of educated Indians – and the quality of academic institutions that are globally recognized.

Because of the high fees and costs involved, it is still only a small percentage overall who study abroad. Many Indian families make huge sacrifices to send their children to foreign universities, often mortgaging their homes or taking on huge personal debt, with the view that it is a worthwhile investment in the long term. There is also a booming and unregulated business of “agents” who help students in India get into British and American universities, often at a heavy cost.

The historical and cultural ties between India and the UK have always made it a particularly favorable choice for Indian students, as well as the large Indian diaspora that live in the UK, meaning many people have relatives already living there. It also has the significant advantage of being far cheaper than the US, and with a less time-consuming and costly application process. UK master’s programmes have long been more popular as they are just one year, so are seen as better value for money: about 70% of the Indian students in the UK are there for postgraduate study.

Trisha Uberoi, 26, who was born in Delhi, chose to do her bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Nottingham in 2015, and then went on to do a master’s at the University of Bath in innovation and technology management. She now lives in London, working for a sustainability software company.

Uberoi’s decision to study abroad came from a desire to break out of the social restrictions of India, particularly for women. She chose the UK over the US because of the lower cost and less competitive application process and the fact it was a little closer to home.

“Living in India I always felt very restricted,” she said. “Even though I come from an extremely relatively open-minded, progressive family, I still really felt the weight of judgment and rules that never felt logical for me. Studying in the UK felt like my way out.”

For years, the number of Indians studying in the UK was in decline. Political pressure under Theresa May’s Conservative government turned foreign students into targets in the game of political football over immigration statistics in a bid to create “net zero student migration”. As the opportunity to work in the UK after graduation was made far more difficult, the number of Indian students coming to the UK decreased.

That all changed after Brexit, however, when the UK pledged to increase its international student intake up to 600,000 by 2030. As recruitment of foreign students increased, Indian students returned to UK universities in their droves and immigration lawyers in Delhi said inquiries about UK student and work visas had rocketed. The number soared further post 2020, when a two-year post-study work visa was reintroduced for graduate students. Indians are now the largest group of foreign students taking up this post-study visa, making up more than 40%.

Last year, an agreement was signed between the UK and India governments to mutually recognise academic qualifications, also making the UK more attractive for Indian students. India has now surpassed China in the number of students at British universities.

For Uberoi, finding a job in the UK after she graduated was her “main goal” for she felt India did not have the job opportunities she aspired to. She did internships in the House of Lords and at companies including Cobra Beer until she eventually landed a job offer after her master’s, where the tech company offered to sponsor her skilled work visa. Nonetheless, she said this was not the trend she saw among of her fellow Indian students. “Most of them went back home,” she said.

Sanam Arora, founder and chair of the National Indian students Association UK, said that the main draw for Indian students studying in the UK was the ability to secure a post-work study visa, so they didn’t have to return home immediately.

“Though there is this entrepreneurial spirit in India, there are also major concerns around unemployment, particularly in securing technical jobs for graduates, so the ability to get a few years work experience abroad after graduating is seen as very important,” she said.

She emphasised that this arrangement was beneficial for the UK, as the majority of Indian students come to the UK to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, areas in which job vacancies in the UK often go unfulfilled for months.

Arora was among those who warned that any attempts by the current government to return to previous policies of targeting international students as a way to bring down net migration was shortsighted. She called for students to be removed from net-migration statistics and instead be counted as temporary migrants, as happens in the US and Australia.

Critics have warned that it also risks undermining the UK’s crucial ongoing trade deal negotiations with India, where one of the key issues for India is increased access for its skilled workers to UK work visas. Recent agreements between the two countries have in fact aimed to boost legal routes for Indians to come to the UK, including the migration and mobility partnership signed in 2021. This included the creation of an Indian young professionals’ scheme, where 2,400 Indians with a degree are granted, through a ballot system, a visa to work, study and travel in the UK.

India is also the second largest foreign investor in the UK, with Indian companies and projects creating more than 8,600 jobs last year, meaning any crackdown on skilled work visas is likely to prove unpopular with the Indian government and the Indian business community.

“It took a lot of work from the higher education sector to rebuild the UK’s reputation for international students,” said Arora. “There’s a worry with all this flip-flopping that it will again create this distrust among Indian students, who are made to feel like commodities or cash cows.”

[merideanoverseas-blog]

New Updates Regarding UK Visa 2020 Process

After getting through the University, you still need to clear the interview for visa application. Recent developments at the airport state that students coming from foreign land are being randomly interviewed in the airport. The students are being stopped during the immigration process in the queue and are being asked several questions regarding their stay and visit in the country.

Some of the Common Questions Asked for Study in UK Requirements are as follows:

Why are you visiting UK? Purpose of visit

Why have you selected XYZ University and not any other university?

What course have you opted for?

Why only this course and not any course?

How will this course benefit you and in your mother land?

Why do you want to study in UK from India and not in any other country?

What is your fee structure?

How are you going to support yourself financially? If somebody else is going to do that for you, for example your father, then students needs to show the document pertaining to his mode of income.

Results of Failing Interview While Opting for Study in UK Requirements

Some of the UK visa new rules 2020 states that deporting a student directly band them from applying for UK student visa for the next 10 years, which is undoubtedly a long span of time. All of these questions need to be answered well with sheer conviction and persistence. In case the student is unable to answer any of these queries, the immigration officer directly deports them. This directly means that the student acquires a direct ban of 10 years post being deported. UK study visa would not be filed again twice, which is undoubtedly one of the most failed choices one could make about their career.

If you did not appear for credibility interview in UK, you will still be asked certain questions as per their requirements. Hence, you need to prepare yourself accordingly. It is important to make sure that enough preparation is taken with regards to interview skills. Without these interview skills, needed for study in UK requirements, students will not be able to answer and pass the immigration process.

A lot of Universities in London are opening up their vacancy for January, March and April intake which is the ideal time for students to grab the opportunity. Follow the UK student visa requirements in order to perform the entire process well, especially the interview skills.

Get in Touch for Guidance Regarding Study in UK Requirements

If you have any queries regarding the process, you can get in touch by calling in toll free number 1800-1230-00011. As the lines usually remain busy, it is best to get in touch via email in order to avail a prompt reply. Interested students for study abroad 2020 can send an email at applications01@meridian.org. If you have still not applied, it is about time to apply for January intake in London. Read More:

[intelligent-overseas-education]

Rules For International Scholars To Travel From India

Summary

International Scholars travelling from India have vaccination as their must-have criterion to study on-campus. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approved vaccines are only admissible, excluding those inoculated by Covaxin.

Indian Scholars will soon start planning their visit to international study destinations, with the fall intake of the 2021 academy year set to commence from August onwards.

Due to the New COVID-19 Virus Alternatives, Europe and Australia adopt a cautious approach towards allowing international Scholars.

INDIAN STUDENTS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

Vaccination may be a must-have criterion for international scholars to study on-campuses. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) sanctioned vaccines are mandatory, which means that scholars inoculated with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin might not be permitted entry.

Apart from this, a slew of regulations formed across countries for the entry of international Scholars. Intelligent Overseas Education is here to deliver you the rules for International Scholars to travel from India to key destinations:

TRAVEL TO CANADA FROM INDIA

Like the US, on a case-to-case basis, will offer Canadian Scholars visas to Indians. In addition, inoculation from the WHO-approved vaccine list may be mandatory to study in Canada for International Students.

However, once the visa interview slots opened on Flag Day, there was a sudden rush for bookings, leading to technical glitches.

“It is presumably going to get back to normal by July since the pressure will go down. After that, however, Scholars inoculated with Covaxin won’t be considered eligible to study in Canada,” said Romesh Parekh, founding father of HighEd Abroad Consulting.

Study in Canada | FAQs about Canada International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

TRAVEL TO UNITED KINGDOM (UK) FROM INDIA

While a blanket vaccination requirement has not been made compulsory for entering the United Kingdom (UK), Scholars with a legitimate visa can travel to the United Kingdom (UK) from India to study in the United Kingdom (UK) on-campus, often after an easing of lockdown in their country.

However, since India is among the countries on the “red list” on the United Kingdom (UK) travel restrictions due to many COVID-19 cases, Scholars will need to quarantine for ten days to monitor their health during this era as a part of quarantine rule in the United Kingdom (UK). Scholars also can register with the on-campus vaccination facilities available across the region.

Study in the United Kingdom (UK) | FAQs about United Kingdom (UK) International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

TRAVEL TO FRANCE FROM INDIA

France features a set of “Green countries” where cases of COVID-19 are low. Therefore, these individuals can enter the country with no restrictions to study in France. India, however, doesn’t figure on this list. Hence, it wouldn’t be an automatic approval process if a Scholars qualifies for a better education programme.

A case-to-case basis approval will commence as a part of France travel restriction process. Scholars must fully inoculate with WHO-approved vaccines to travel to France. And travel will be permitted only after a fortnight of the double dose.

Scholars who have caught COVID-19 within the past 14 days before the visa application hold a 4-6 week waiting duration before being acknowledged for travel as a part of the France quarantine process.

Study in France | FAQs about France International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES (US) FROM INDIA

Current United States (US) travel restriction implies that Institutes across the US can allow international Scholars entry to on-campus programmes from the fall intake onwards. Vaccination is going to be a required mandate to study in the United States(US).

For the broad masses, the United States (US) has restrictions on travel from India. However, the authorities have made an exception within the case of Scholars who are about to study in the United States (US), with one significant caution on a case-to-case basis entry to be provided.

From August onwards, classes are starting in Some institutions. While a 12-16 week gap between two doses of the Covishield vaccine is the set norm in India, the Ministry of Health has made an exception for international Scholars planning international travel.

Sameer Patel, a better education consultant based in Delhi, said that Scholars should apply beforehand as the ‘blanket approval’ process has not yet followed.

“Each visa form is being completely reviewed to see if an on-campus appearance is needed. Those scholars who had contracted COVID-19 within the past one to 2 months should wait 3-4 months before travel,” he added.

Study in the United States (US) | FAQs about United States (US) International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA FROM INDIA

While Australian travel restrictions for India continue, there’s a proposal to permit international Scholars from India to study in Australia with a monthly cap.

A report said that a couple of travel locations allow international students to study in Australia. International Travel to Australia is to be at a rate of 800 Scholars per month, often likely to be allowed from the last week of July 2021.

Australian universities also are firming up plans to permit Scholars entry after one vaccination dose, subject to a health check-up. By July, Formal rules will be notified on this matter.

Study in Australia | FAQs about Australia International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

TRAVEL TO CHINA FROM INDIA

Close to 25,000 Indian Scholars pursuing medical courses in China have been held back in India since February 2020, when COVID-19 struck. The travel ban from India continues whilst vaccination picks up pace.

A report said that Indian Scholars who pursued study in China have written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking intervention to return to education on campuses.

Final-year medical Scholars can only get their degree once they complete 52-week internships at designated hospitals after their fifth year. So while Scholars from other regions like South Korea are back to campuses in China, Indian Scholars haven’t been permitted to travel to China from India.

Study in China | FAQs about China International Students Travel | Reach Us Here

THE MEA’S REQUEST TO INDIAN SCHOLARS

In India, the MEA has asked Scholars to hunt for help from its Overseas India Affairs (OIA) division about difficulties they’ll encounter in reaching their universities abroad for on-campus academic programmes.

Indian Students are most welcomed to join our Study abroad Education Community to get General Updates and clear queries for keeping a step towards success.

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[visaimmigrationsupdate]

UK IMMIGRATION RULES PUBLISHED ON 22 OCTOBER 2020

STATEMENT OF CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION RULES PUBLISHED ON 22 OCTOBER 2020.

In this blog, we will be discussing about the New UK Immigration Rules which includes Skilled Worker, Visitor and other routes.

A new Statement of Changes in UK Immigration Rules has been issued by the UK Government which gives more information about the UK’s new Points-Based Immigration System for visitors and workers, along with a several of other modifications.

We highly suggest you to watch the full video. These immigration changes may have great impact on your future UK Visa applications.

The New Rules, officially known as HC 813 (Click here), along with the explanatory memorandum can be found in the link here.

Read More:

TEMPORARY GUIDELINES FOR UK VISA HOLDERS

COVID-19 – UKVCAS HAS ‘ESSENTIAL SERVICE’ STATUS

2 NEW UPDATES ANNOUNCED BY UK HOME OFFICE ON 5TH OCTOBER, 2020

UKVI CHANGES DUE TO CORONAVIRUS | 16 OCTOBER UPDATE

APPLYING FOR A UK VISA IF UK VISA APPLICATION CENTER IS CLOSED

Announcing the end of Tier 2 (General), the new UK Immigration Rules will see the overview of the new ‘Skilled Worker’ route from 1 December 2020. The Skilled Worker visa route is not as much limiting than Tier 2 (General). For instance, the skill obligation is RQF 3 instead of RQF 6, there is no resident labour market test (RLMT), there is no cooling-off period and there are better switching options for those migrants desiring to make an visa application inside the UK. Sponsors will still be required to show that they need a sponsored employee to fill up a ‘genuine vacancy’.

Modifications to Tier 2 (ICT), substituted by ‘Intra-Company Transfer’, comprises a less burdensome cooling-off period than now. There are also modifications to all other attributes of Tier 2 and Tier 5.

The immigration rules on absences have been established and there are also a number of other adjustments to the general obligations including in relation to criminal convictions, obligatory grounds of refusal, English language valuations and maintenance.

Concerning students, the UK visitor rules are being laidback to allow visitors coming to the UK for up to six months to be able to study in the UK during their stay. Currently, study under the visitor route is seriously limited. Furthermore, the short-term study facility will only be for students who will come to UK to study English for 6 – 11 months.

Parents of Child Students will be provided authorization in line with the child, instead of 12 months blocks as before.

Visitors will also be allowed to come to the UK to volunteer during their visit – currently, they can only do so if the volunteering is related to the visit.

The new Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa routes are officially announced into UK immigration law.

Several other work routes have also seen transformations, including Representative of an Overseas Business, Innovator, Start-Up and Ancestry. The majority of modifications are mostly technical, for example moving them to their specific ‘Appendix’ of the Rules. We will be revising all the key changes in detail and update our blog as soon as they are officially available

The 30 June 2021 cut-off date has also officially been announced for EU Settlement Scheme applications, even though there is possibility for applicants to apply where there are ‘reasonable grounds’ for losing the deadline.

Lastly, the New Rules published give legislative protection for migrants who overstayed from 24 January – 30 November 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.

Our blog ends here, if you need more information on the new UK Immigration Rules, please contact us now by commenting below or via our website.

[quietduckpond]

2020, January-July in Review

If you'd have told me what 2020 was gonna be last year I woulda been like what??? The hell kind of drugs are you on??? This stuff is so far out that it'd be considered a completely unrealistic plot for a tv show or book or anything, really. Like, especially recently, it’s almost (but not quite) comical. 

I thought I’d just start listing stuff I knew about, but then I did some research, and, well . . . Sources are at the bottom :) . I’ve tried to keep it to the weird or just plain cool stuff that’s happened, because most of what I hear about is the bad stuff, but I may have gone a liiiiiiitle overboard. Anyway, here's a list of stuff that's happened this year (feel free to add to it, as I couldn’t possibly include everything in a single post).

First off, we have January. Looooooot of stuff went down in January. And we thought that that’d be the worst of it. Ha! Anyway, here it is:

Australia was, like, on fire, with tens of millions of acres burned. (Last source has a visual guide for this. Australia is roughly the same size of the US, for those unaware)

WWIII threatened to break out when Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was killed on orders from Trump

Iran's retaliation strike involved the launch of missiles at two American military bases (further WWIII fears)

Ukrainian plane carrying 176 civilians was shot down by Iran, after mistaking it as a threat

Covid-19's outbreak in China being officially reported to the WHO (despite being reported to Chinese officials as early as Nov. 2019)

China records the first death due to Coronavirus

Wuhan, China, goes under lockdown, impacting 11 million people in terms of travel restrictions, with food shortages ensuing.

Trump's impeachment trial begins

UK withdraws from the European Union (tbh I don't fully understand the deal with this as I don't live in Europe, but oh well)

Next, we have February. Not too much happened in February tbh:

Trump is acquitted by the Senate on both articles of impeachment

Antarctica reaches a record high of 18.2 °C (64.9 °F) as recorded by an Argentinian research station (Global Warming!!!!)

India grants equal rights to women (but only within the armed forces)

Then we get to March:

Italy implements a country-wide lockdown, and is the first nation to do so

COVID-19 is officially declared a world-wide pandemic, after cases were recorded in more than 100 countries

Summer Olympics postponed until 2021

Trump declares a national emergency, freeing up $50 billion to help with the Covid-19

And April:

New York alone receives the highest number of COVID cases than any country in the world.

By this stage there are now more than 1 million COVID-19 cases world-wide

Bernie Sanders endorses former rival Joe Biden for US President

Trump freezes WHO funding

Canada experiences its worst modern mass-shooting, with 18 people dead, leads to ban of 1500 types of assault-style weapons (technically the banning happened in May, but anyway)

Trump suggests to injecting disinfectant or UV light (honestly, how would that even work??? Glow sticks? Swallowing torches???) into the body. (But seriously, DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!!!)

Trump claims that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan Laboratory. (This is not supported by ANY facts, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence even said that the virus wasn’t man-made)

Green house gas emissions drop by a massive 17% world-wide, relating to the COVID-19 pandemic

And May:

World leaders pledge $8 billion to fund COVID-19 vaccination research. The US and Russia choose not to contribute.

11-year-old Brazilian skateboarder, Gui Khury, becomes holds the world record for the 1st 1080° turn on a vertical ramp (tbh I only included this one because I thought it was cool, and I needed something happy to write about)

George Floyd is killed by police in the US, sparks international racial protests and a resurgence of BLM marches

Twitter adds a warning label about the inaccuracies of Trumps tweets

USA surpasses 100,000 deaths due to COVID-19

National guard is brought into Minnesota to quell George Floyd and BLM protests, as well as a curfew

Further protests ensue, well into July, both in the US and internationally.

But wait! There’s more in June! A lot more:

Locusts swarm the Horn of Africa, damaging crops and spreading disease. BILLIONS of locusts

Trump threatens to use Military force against civilians in order to quell protests sparked by George Floyd’s death

Trump orders the tear-gassing and dispersal of peaceful protesters using riot gear and rubber bullets, without warning, for a photo-op outside St John’s Episcopal Church. This was without permission of the bishop, Reverend Mariann Budde. She has said she was "outraged” and that the church was used, “as a backdrop . . . without permission”, and that members of the clergy had even joined the protests the day before.

UK COVID-19 death toll surpasses 50,000

3 Former Police Officers charged with second-degree murder over George Floyd’s death

Former defence secretary speaks out against Trump saying,  "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us."

First major breakthrough in treating coronavirus COVID-19 using steroid dexamethasone announced by Oxford University

US Supreme Court rules the Obama-era Dreamers Program (DACA), enabling undocumented migrant children ability to study and work, can stay (Yay!!!!!!)

Trump holds his first re-election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before being COMPLETELY derailed by TikTok users and K-Pop stars to purposefully orchestrate a low turn-out by reserving seats and then not attending (Honestly, this was so on-brand for Gen Z, absolutely brilliant!!!)

US government data shows African Americans four times more likely than white Americans to be hospitalized due to COVID-19, highlighting racial disparities during the pandemic

The WHO declares the Ebola outbreak in the Congo over, which killed 2,280 people over 2 years

New York Times says Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked forces to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan, meanwhile Trump did nothing

Locust invasion labelled 'Swarmageddon' by The Times of India as it reaches Delhi (Yup, the very same one form before, now in India)

Global death toll due to COVID-19 passes 500,000, more than doubling in less than two months.

Arizona reports 20% of tests returning as positive

And finally, July. This has been an absolute trip so far, but here we go:

Australian state Victoria re-imposes coronavirus lockdown on 36 Melbourne (which is in Victoria) suburbs, affecting 300,000 people

The US confirms more than 50,000 new COVID cases in one day

Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes wearing face masks mandatory as cases of coronavirus soar in the state 

Over 160 people die after a landslide at a jade mine in northern Hpakant area of Myanmar

The US officially begins withdrawing from the WHO

Trump Administration issues directive that more than 1 million international students will be stripped of their visas if their courses are entirely online

Kanye West has said he’s now running as an independent for President???? Like, what???

So. Rappers are running for president amid a world-wide pandemic. There was an almost-revolution, a locust plague, the UK just decided to just quit Europe, and TikTok partially derailed a presidential campaign.

This has been a (just-over) half-year review. Might do another one at the end of the year, we’ll see. Sorry for the long post, but I hope you can appreciate with me just how bonkers this year has been so far.

Source, Source, Source, Source, Source, Source

[scholarshipportal]

The British government initiated the leaving proceedings in March 2017 but due to circumstances the final date was extended to 31st January 2020. The UK finally divorced the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31st January 2020.  There will now be an 11-month transition period till 31st December 2020, during which the prior rules and regulations negotiated between the EU and the UK will still apply while the future legislations are still in the process of being discussed. 

Read – Study in UK

Impact of Brexit on International Students – The Positives and Negatives

The exact timeline and future regulatory impact on international students due to Brexit are not clear yet. Universities and educators have been very clear in stating that international students will be welcomed in the UK with open arms. However, laws and visa regulations are handled by the government, and the officials have publicly stated that their main focus will be to limit immigration, workers and students included. In a white paper published on December 19, home secretary Sajid Javid said “… we bring free movement to an end, different rules to the current ones must apply to migration here by EU citizens,”

(via Brexit - Impact of Brexit on International students, latest brexit news update) 

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Census: Inequality grew, including in heartland states (AP) The gap between the haves and have-nots in the United States grew last year to its highest level in more than 50 years of tracking income inequality, according to Census Bureau figures. Income inequality in the United States expanded from 2017 to 2018, with several heartland states among the leaders of the increase, even though several wealthy coastal states still had the most inequality overall, according to figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Trump administration proposes slashing number of refugees for U.S. resettlement (Reuters) The Trump administration said on Thursday it plans to allow only 18,000 refugees to resettle in the United States in the 2020 fiscal year, the lowest number in the history of the modern refugee program.

Five years after mass student kidnapping, Mexico digs for remains in new dump (Reuters) Mexican officials have begun scouring new sites for the remains of 43 student teachers including a garbage dump near where they disappeared five years ago, after re-opening a case that plunged the last government into a crisis.

Unrest grows in Haiti (Foreign Policy) Facing a political crisis, Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise gave a rare national address on Wednesday to urge calm after a senator fired a gun at protesters near the parliament building this week. Demonstrations over fuel and food shortages, corruption, and the state of the economy have intensified--with protesters clashing with police. The crisis caused Moise to cancel his trip to the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week. The opposition leader, Andre Michel, has called for Moise to resign.

UK leader Johnson faces backlash over confrontational tone (AP) British lawmakers accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday of whipping up anger and division with his charged language about opponents of Brexit, and the speaker of the House of Commons pleaded for an end to the “toxic” political atmosphere. But government and Parliament remained at loggerheads, as lawmakers rejected a request to adjourn for a week so that Johnson’s Conservatives can attend the governing party’s annual conference.

French Chemical Fire Extinguished as Questions Mount (AP) French authorities and Normandy residents are clearing up residue from a huge fire at a chemical plant as a foul stench continues to spread over a swath of territory.

Ex-French President Chirac dies at 86 (AP) Jacques Chirac, a two-term French president who was the first leader to acknowledge France’s role in the Holocaust and defiantly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, died Thursday at age 86. Chirac was long the standard-bearer of France’s conservative right, and mayor of Paris for nearly two decades. He was nicknamed “Le Bulldozer” early in his career for his determination and ambition.

Moderate quake shakes Istanbul, eight people slightly hurt (Reuters) A moderate 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook buildings and damaged two mosques in Istanbul on Thursday, slightly injuring eight people and causing residents to rush from buildings.

Bangladesh to install fences around Rohingya refugee camps (AP) A Cabinet minister says authorities in Bangladesh will build barbed-wire fences around sprawling camps housing Rohingya refugees to stop their expansion.

Hong Kong’s embattled leader faces barrage of criticism at ‘dialogue’ session (Washington Post) Tight-lipped and stoic, embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam faced a barrage of criticism Thursday during a dialogue with randomly selected members of the public--her first attempt to directly engage with people in the semiautonomous territory after 17 weeks of spiraling unrest and violence. The pointed and unvarnished questions Lam faced--coupled with a protest outside the stadium where the exchanges were ongoing--made clear the depth of mistrust in Hong Kong’s institutions and Lam’s fraught position ahead of what is likely to be another chaotic weekend of violent protests leading up to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Tuesday.

N. Korea Urges Trump to Make Bold Move to Revive Diplomacy (AP) North Korea said Friday it wants President Donald Trump to make a “wise option and bold decision” to produce a breakthrough in stalled nuclear diplomacy, in an escalation of pressure on the U.S. ahead of an expected resumption of talks.

New U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil (Foreign Policy) The United States has announced new sanctions against Chinese companies that import Iran’s oil, putting further pressure on Iran’s economy. (China has been the biggest consumer of Iranian oil.) The move came as meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was ruled out.

UK tanker leaves Iranian port after being seized in July (Reuters) The British-flagged Stena Impero tanker left Iran’s Bandar Abbas port on Friday after being detained since July by Iranian forces and was heading toward international waters.

Saudi Arabia opens to tourists with investment appeal and no abaya rule (Reuters) Saudi Arabia threw open its doors to foreign tourists on Friday, launching a new visa regime for 49 countries and appealing to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10% of gross domestic product by 2030. Tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb told Reuters in an interview ahead of the official announcement that abayas will not be mandatory for women tourists but modest dress is, including at public beaches. He indicated that alcohol remains banned.

Egypt tightens security after call for repeat protests (Reuters) Egyptian security forces closed off entrances to Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday and deployed police reinforcements after a call for a second week of rare anti-government demonstrations.

Sudan closes borders with Libya, Central African Republic (Reuters) Sudan’s transitional government ordered the immediate closure of the nation’s borders with Libya and Central African Republic on Thursday, citing unspecified security and economic “dangers”.

Prince Harry Walks Through Angola Mine Field, Echoing Diana (AP) A body armor-wearing Prince Harry on Friday followed in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, whose walk through an active mine field in Angola years ago helped to lead to a global ban on the deadly weapons.

[blog-immigration-blog]

UK Offers 2 Years Post Study Work Visa

The new graduate route will allow eligible international students to work in the field of their choice, for two years after completing their studies.

On September 11, the UK government announced a new two-year post-study work (PSW) visa for international students. This is a sharp U-turn from the work visa policies set by Theresa May seven years ago. The immigration route will be open to all international students completing an undergraduate course or higher.

The Story so Far

Earlier, the work visa was limited to four-months for any bachelor or master’s graduate to secure a job in the UK. For most, the post-study work-visa for the UK, circa 2019, was something that most students assumed wasn’t meant for them. Things, however, have changed.

The new graduate route will allow students to work for two years after they have successfully completed their course. However, it is important to note that only the students who are enrolling in courses beginning or ending in the 2020-21 academic year will benefit from the new immigration routes.

Cause for the Change in Rules

After the post-study work visa permit was scrapped by the then home secretary, Theresa May, in 2012, the UK saw a sharp drop in the number of international students. With a work visa limit of as low as four months, it lost all its edge as an international market for higher education. Over the years, universities, colleges, and even corporates were clamoring for a relaxation of these norms. With the specter of Brexit looming large over the national consciousness it was a time that some positive news makes its way into popular discourse.

The UK as a Destination for International Students

Going to the UK to study is on the bucket list of a lot of students around the world. It is a great way to experience a different culture, studying with a diverse group of people and getting to live in one of the most culturally rich countries in the world. The UK offers shorter courses compared to most parts of the world, enabling students to save on multiple things, such as accommodation, tuition, etc. With the PSW Visa for UK reopening, it throws open the doors for a number of students around the world to live their dreams in Great Britain.

Prospects for Indians Students in the UK

The United Kingdom is the second favorite destination for Indians to study, with the United States of America at the top. Since the introduction of the new graduate route, which is the PSW Visa for the UK, it is likely that Britain may well become the most preferred destination of Indian Students.

“With the reintroduction of the post-study work visa, we think more Indian students will choose the UK. And with the anti-immigration policies in the US we expect that the UK will soon gain the top spot in terms of attractiveness to Indian students,” said Sanam Arora, chairperson of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union in the UK.

This announcement comes hot on the heels of a fast-track visa route for scientists and the elimination of the limit on Ph.D. students choosing to go the skilled work visa route. This, in turn, will make UK one of the leaders in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

According to statistics, half of the Indian students moving to the UK chose a STEM subject for their higher studies. PSW Visa UK, 2019, will ensure that more students from India can make the UK their home for the future.

Timeline for Enforcement of the Rules

This new graduate route upsets a lot of international students, as those who are about to begin their terms or already studying there, will not be applicable to them. So, any student starting their one year master’s now and graduating in 2020 will not benefit. But, any student currently pursuing a two-year, three-year or four-year undergraduate course which ends in 2021 will be able to use the new route.

There is, however, quite a lot of confusion among international students already studying in the UK regarding their eligibility. Current international students, with valid Tier 4 visa leave, on the time of the announcement, i.e. 11 September 2019, are expected to be eligible for the post-study visa UK 2019.

On the bright side, the UK has joined the league of countries offering post-study work visa opportunities, with the US, Canada, Australia, and others. The new graduate route gives students a chance to work in any field of their choice, giving employers to get great and talented minds on board.

Although Indian students still preferred to travel to the UK to study without the post-study work visa option, the possibility of getting a post-study work visa is always a great option to have. It will enable them to get the working culture exposure which will help shape their careers. Also, getting a chance to work for two years will be a huge advantage financially.

[feyaqulo-blog]

Secret Info About Zimbabwe Visa Only the Experts Know About

https://fr.ivisa.com/zimbabwe-visa

If your visa application isn't complete, your visa application could be refused. So it is suggested to acquire your visa before you travel there. Actually, the visa itself is totally free.

If no particular explanation is stated, then the applicant is going to have to reapply. Surely you agree this is the very best approach to acquire a visa. Such a visa needs a distinctive sort of supporting letter.

Following your payment, you will get an email with your purchase confirmation and a tracking number. Individuals must check personally to make sure information of specific relevance to them is accurate. For important updates, make sure to look at our NEWSFLASH page.

As a result of technological advancement, applicants may also submit an application for a Kenyan passports online. Proof of payment is needed in front of a student or an exchange visitor visa is going to be issued. If still more volunteers are required, there could be a second application period.

What You Don't Know About Zimbabwe Visa

The variety of charges is arbitrary and depending on the plan supplied by your merchant services provider. The present maximum withdrawal total is 4 million VND. The sum of money you need to withdraw will be automatically changed from your house currency to VND depending on the bank quoted rate at that moment.

Guarantee that the amount is within your house bank's limit before trying to withdraw any funds. The real price is not yet been accounted for. Like the manner USD isn't really valuable till you spend it.

The unemployment rate in the technology industry in america is among the lowest today. Every crisis creates a chance to re-invent and succeed. Other currencies are rarely accepted for purchasing goods and solutions.

Exactly like in other nations, you might want to know the fundamental rules and ideas on using cash, charge cards, and ATMs in Vietnam. Under Vietnamese law, ATMs will merely dispense VND, even if your account is based in your house country. In a nutshell, it is still the best choice to minimize your travel budget.

Zimbabwe Visa - the Story

With this kind of a huge quantity of work to be done within the city to guarantee a successful Tokyo 2020, the Tokyo Organizing Committee is searching for volunteers to aid in a number of areas. Food shortages remain a severe problem in rural places. Shop around at various gold shops to discover the very best rate.

All Zimbabwean nationals wishing to study in the united kingdom will want to submit an application for a study visa before they are entitled to enter the UK and begin their programme of study. Mexican nationals aren't visa-exempt. Finding a Zimbabwe visa from Nigeria isn't difficult, but nevertheless, it can end up being challenging.

Demonstrations occur regularly and possess the capability to suddenly turn violent. Please note that you have to bring your air ticket beside you on safari or you might be refused re-entry into South Africa. It hosts Zimbabwe's primary museum.

There's currently no option of obtaining a Zimbabwean tourist visa ahead of time through the Zimbabwean Embassy in Washington. A business letter and company invitation are essential for travelers who apply to get a business visa to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, our neighbour which recently gained a new hope in the type of political change turns out to be a country with this much to provide its own folks, together with South Africans.

[devisers-immigration-advisers]

UK Immigration

UK Immigration

An immigration consultant  is a person who helps people to emigrate from one country to another country and through legal and documentation process to increase the chances of immigration for starting a new or existing business, study, work & travel. Immigration consultants are legal experts and have knowledge about immigration rules and visa rules and about the procedure of getting different types of visa.

Val Morgan Immigration Advisers  are renowned International Immigration Advisers with offices in London UK, and Dubai UAE who specialize in immigration services to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and European Countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Portugal.

Our expert Advisers have over 10 years of experience in immigration law and assisted over 5,000 successful applications for skilled migration, entrepreneur / business visa, student visas, visit visas, family migration, spouse visa and all types of refusal cases.

 UK Immigration - Permanent residence card

You can as of currently apply for a perpetual system card within the event that you've lived in the Britain for an extended time.

In any case, you don't bother with a lasting home card to affirm your living arrangement status in the UK except if:

Ø  You're a more distant family individual from somebody from the european

financial zone or Switzerland and are yourself not an EEA or Swiss national

 Ø  You need to apply for British citizenship

 Ø  You need to support your accomplice's visa application under the Immigration

Rules

Your residence card won't be substantial after 31 December 2020. You and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme on the off chance that you need to keep living in the UK. The plan will open completely by 30 March 2019.

Eligibility

You’re eligible if both of the following apply:

•           You've lived with your EEA relative in the UK for a constant multi year time span.

 •           Your EEA relative has been a certified individual all through the 5 years or has a changeless directly of living arrangement

 You can likewise get perpetual home on the off chance that you've lived in the UK for a ceaseless time of 5 years:

 •           As the more distant family individual from an EEA national and you've held a legitimate EEA family license and a home card all through.

 •           First as the relative of an EEA national and after that with a held directly of home

 •           As the relative of a British subject, in the event that you entered the UK under the EU law in the wake of living in another EEA nation 'Surinder Singh' course

 You can get lasting living arrangement before 5 years assuming either:

 •           You were living with your EEA national relative, who was working or independently employed in the UK, preceding their passing.

 •           Your EEA national relative was working or independently employed in the UK however has 'stopped movement' (ceased work or independent work due to retirement or lasting insufficiency, or on the grounds that they're presently working or independently employed in another EEA state yet are as yet occupant and come back to the UK in any event once every week)

Looking For Immediate UK Immigration Help? Get Free Assessment Now

           Val Morgan Immigration Advisers are a leading UK Law Firm with offices in London and Dubai who specialise in UK Immigration through business set for business owners, professionals & investors.

[valmorganimmigrationreviews]

UK Immigration

UK Immigration – Immigration lawyers

An immigration consultant  is a person who helps people to emigrate from one country to another country and through legal and documentation process to increase the chances of immigration for starting a new or existing business, study, work & travel. Immigration consultants are legal experts and have knowledge about immigration rules and visa rules and about the procedure of getting different types of visa.

Val Morgan Immigration Advisers  are renowned International Immigration Advisers with offices in London UK, and Dubai UAE who specialize in immigration services to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and European Countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Portugal.

Our expert Advisers have over 10 years of experience in immigration law and assisted over 5,000 successful applications for skilled migration, entrepreneur / business visa, student visas, visit visas, family migration, spouse visa and all types of refusal cases.

 UK Immigration - Permanent residence card

You can as of currently apply for a perpetual system card within the event that you've lived in the Britain for an extended time.

In any case, you don't bother with a lasting home card to affirm your living arrangement status in the UK except if:

Ø  You're a more distant family individual from somebody from the european

financial zone or Switzerland and are yourself not an EEA or Swiss national

 Ø  You need to apply for British citizenship

 Ø  You need to support your accomplice's visa application under the Immigration

Rules

Your residence card won't be substantial after 31 December 2020. You and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme on the off chance that you need to keep living in the UK. The plan will open completely by 30 March 2019.

Eligibility

You’re eligible if both of the following apply:

•           You've lived with your EEA relative in the UK for a constant multi year time span.

 •           Your EEA relative has been a certified individual all through the 5 years or has a changeless directly of living arrangement

 You can likewise get perpetual home on the off chance that you've lived in the UK for a ceaseless time of 5 years:

 •           As the more distant family individual from an EEA national and you've held a legitimate EEA family license and a home card all through.

 •           First as the relative of an EEA national and after that with a held directly of home

 •           As the relative of a British subject, in the event that you entered the UK under the EU law in the wake of living in another EEA nation 'Surinder Singh' course

 You can get lasting living arrangement before 5 years assuming either:

 •           You were living with your EEA national relative, who was working or independently employed in the UK, preceding their passing.

 •           Your EEA national relative was working or independently employed in the UK however has 'stopped movement' (ceased work or independent work due to retirement or lasting insufficiency, or on the grounds that they're presently working or independently employed in another EEA state yet are as yet occupant and come back to the UK in any event once every week)

Looking For Immediate UK Immigration Help? Get Free Assessment Now

           Val Morgan Immigration Advisers are a leading UK Law Firm with offices in London and Dubai who specialise in UK Immigration through business set for business owners, professionals & investors.

[travelcenter-uk]

Australian travel rules: Border reopening announced for international travel

Australian travel rules update: It was announced that its borders would be reopened to vaccinated tourists and other visa holders after almost two years.

“If you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

The reopening that awaits to take place on 21 February will bear good news for international education as well.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has had some of the world’s strictest border controls.

The government closed the borders in March 2020, which prevented many foreigners from entering the country and helped fight Covid.

Since last December, some international students and qualified migrants have been permitted to enter the country.

On Monday, Mr Morrison said that everyone entering Australia when the borders completely reopened would be required to provide proof of the vaccination. “That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it,” he said based on the updated Australian Travel rules.

According to the Australia travel rules, unvaccinated travellers who are not jabbed for a medical reason will still need to apply for a travel exemption. If that is successful, passengers will need to quarantine at a hotel.

To stop the drastic spread of Covid, Australia has executed strict rules since the start of the pandemic. This includes even restricting its people from leaving the country last year.

So far, the country has reported more than 2.7 million cases of coronavirus and 4,248 Covid-related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Nearly 80% of the country’s population is vaccinated.

Read More:-  Australian travel rules: Border reopening announced for international travel

This Article, Information & Images Source (copyright):- Travel Center UK Blog

[ukvisaimmigration]

UK IMMIGRATION LAW AND RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAC

As the UK has left the EEA, the UK government has decided to overhaul some of the UK Immigration Appeal system with new policies, reforms and innovations specifically in connection with Skilled Migrant workers.  The UK government has decided to adopt some of the recommendations by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which is an independent government advisory body on UK immigration. And although the MAC’s recommendations cover a broad spectrum of UK Immigration Laws, this article focuses on Skilled Migrant workers, specifically on what is known as the Points-Based System (PBS).

What is the current UK Immigration System?

Under the current skilled migrant worker route, EU nationals are not required to have a visa either to travel or work in the UK because they benefit from "freedom of movement" and only need to comply with a set rule to work in the UK. However, for skilled migrant workers coming from outside the EU, there is a system in place which is based on points. The PBS has four main tiers and to be eligible for a visa an applicant would be assessed and awarded points in certain criteria, such as specific skills, salaries of professions. The following are the four main PBS visa routes: Tier 2 General Migrant (Skilled workers), Tier 4 Students, Tier 5 Migrant and Tier 1 Investor Migrants. Under the Tier 2 Skilled worker routes, points are awarded if the applicant is sponsored by an Employer with a Sponsor Licence, is being paid the appropriate salary, meets the English language requirements and meets the Maintenance funds requirement. Applicants will therefore be granted visas if they gain enough points to take them above a certain threshold, and in view of some of the challenges applicants encounter regarding attaining the required threshold, the MAC recommended some changes to certain criteria of the threshold.

The current route Tier 2 General Migrant (Skilled worker route)

Skilled workers making applications for Tier 2 General visa would be required to gain 70 points on the following criteria: 30 points would be awarded for having a sponsor, 20 points for being offered the appropriate salary (current minimum threshold £30000), 10 points for having a certain level of English language skills and 10 points for having enough funds to maintain yourself once you arrive in the UK. If an applicant fails to gain the required 70 points, there is no way the applicant will be given a visa under this route. In view of these stringent criteria, the MAC has recommended some changes to the current requirements in order to make it easier for skilled and talented migrants to relocate to the UK to assist in building the UK’s economy as a result of Brexit.

What are some of the recommendations from MAC?

The MAC recommended that as a result of the UK exiting the EEA, the UK must reform its immigration system to be skilled-focused in order to attract high skilled migrant to medium-skilled migrants to relocate the country. They also recommended the abolition of the Resident Labour Market Test and implement a simplified process as the current process can be challenging; and also recommended a new work route for entry to the UK without a job offer (current route: Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent).

The MAC recommends amending or replacing the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa to provide a more adequate route for skilled workers without a job offer. The UK government has already accepted this particular recommendation and the route will be open to new applicants for what is known as the Global Talent visa route. Under this route applicants would not need a job offer to come to the UK, but rather the potential talented applicants must first secure an endorsement from their respective endorsing bodies before making the application. Please refer to our recent article published on 12 February 2020 under the caption: The UK welcomes the Global Talent visa.

What are the changes with the Minimum salary threshold?

MAC further recommended that the government maintain the salary threshold requirement. However, the government should lower the current minimum salary of £30,000 threshold for the admittance of a skilled worker from anywhere in the world, including EEA nationals, should be £25,600 and £17,600 for new entrants (currently £20,800) based on specific calculations, unless the relevant SOC code stipulates a higher minimum. This is significant if the UK government goes ahead and implement these recommendations as it would enable a number of UK employers to recruit more high - medium skilled migrants to relocate to the UK.

Who can I contact for legal advice?

If you need a U.K. immigration lawyer and need assistance with any aspect of UK Immigration Lawyer whether from inside the U.K. or from overseas, contact Aschfords Law in Harrow, London. We have experience in offering specialist advice in respect of all U.K. immigration matters and have insight to make the process as smooth as possible. We also provide legal advice and assistance in respect to Wills & Probate, Litigation, Landlord and Tenant.

Please contact us today on: +44 (0) 7582932830.

WEB : https://www.aschfordslaw.com/

[admissify-blog]

New Changes in UK Post Study Work Visa 2022 January Intake | New Rules & Updates for Indian Students

What is a Graduate route?

The Graduate route is meant in such how that international student who have attained their degree from a recognized university within the UK to remain here and can appear for work for a minimum of 2 years. Easily Consult with the best Overseas Education Consultant in Delhi.

Graduates needn't have employment provide to use for a post-study work visa. Also, there are not any minimum regular payment caps on numbers that enable students to figure flexibly and build their careers within the UK.

Students aiming to begin their studies later this year or early next year got to be within the UK by April six, 2022.

To use beneath the new Graduate route, international students should have completed their course (undergraduate or higher level) from a recognized UK institute. Graduates who can apply through the new route are eligible to figure or explore for work for the most time of 2 years once finishing their degree. Ph.D. students are eligible for 3 years' keep back. Get in touch with the study abroad consultants Guwahati.

The UK has invariably been a charming study destination for Indian students, however, staying within the UK once you end your course may be tough. Viewing the recent developments, students who register for courses beginning 2020/21 will keep back for 2 years once the course completes.

Previously, bachelor or degree holders will keep for less than four months within the UK to seem for employment. this is often an extension of visa rule changes that allowed PhDs to remain within the UK once graduation. The United Kingdom administration desires to grow and create its STEM-related fields. Talk to the best overseas education consultants in Delhi for the UK.

Now international students WHO register from 2020/21 will stay awaken to 2 years before they're needed to vary their visa or leave the country. International Students Square measure needed to seek out employment with a minimum regular payment of £20,800 with a Tier a pair of sponsor licenses. Also, students following Ph.D. square measure allowed to remain up to twelve months once finishing their degree. You can also start building a good relationship with the best UK consultants in Delhi.

UK post-study work visa for graduates

The UK post-study work visa permits international students to remain within the UK to look for work for two years once finishing their graduate studies.

Who are eligible for the UK post-study work visa?

Any international student having a Tier-4 visa and is listed in an exceedingly recognized Britain instruction from Sep 2020 is eligible for keep back amount after their graduation. Also, get your abroad study scholarship.

Post-study work visa for graduates within the UK?

The new visa rules that have been applicable from Sep 2020 or later enable international students to remain within the UK after graduation for up to 2 years. Build quality relationships with the best UK education consultants in Delhi.

Here are the principles for international students to travel from country.

Vaccination is the vital criterion for school students to attend offline lectures on campuses.

Indian students will shortly begin coming up with their travel international study destinations, with the time of year session of the 2022 academic year set to begin from August ahead. Hire the best UK consultants in Delhi.

This means that students insusceptible with the Indian vaccine of COVAX may not be allowed entry.

Travel Rules Ease, Indian Students See Record Entries to United Kingdom Universities.

London:

The Universities and schools Admissions Service (UCAS) acceptance figures, discharged on Tues, come back days once Asian country was affected by the Red List COVID-19 travel ban on to Amber. Start knowing in detail through study abroad consultants in Delhi.

This would have a giant impact on Indian students aiming to visit the United Kingdom to require up their courses as they now do not have to be compelled to quarantine in an exceedingly government-managed facility for ten days at a goodly further price. Contact with Study Abroad Consultant.

Instead, they will quarantine for the desired ten days at a selected destination, which for several are their university accommodation, or a follower or family home address. Talk to the best UK education consultants in Delhi.

India was affected by the Red List at four am time on Sunday and below the Amber List rules, all immunized travelers should fill within the obligatory traveler surveyor type to supply Associate in Nursing address wherever they might be undergoing the 10-day self-isolation.

All Amber List arrivals can have to be compelled to have a negative COVID-19 take a look at before move, moreover, as to take a COVID to take a look at on Day a pair of and Day eight of their quarantine. In England, there's the choice of paying for a take a look at on Day five, that if negative, can enable students to finish their quarantine early.

Learn From Admissify

Admissify, a UK & India-based company having offices across countries. Our international presence permits the USA to provide in-country support post-arrival, at the side of the state of affairs facilitate & immigration or job services. You would possibly conjointly get the abroad study scholarship for a smooth admission process.