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UK immigration has announced a ban on student visa applications from students in North India, Bangladesh and Nepal. From 1 February 2010 no new applications will be accepted under the Tier 4 student visa of the points at the following visa application centres:

There was a huge increase in the number of UK student visa applications made in the last three months of 2009; 13,500 applications were made in Northern India compared to 1,800 applications in the same period of 2008. UK Visa offices have had difficulty coping with the number of applications. There have also been concerns that many student visa applications are not genuine.

Canadian immigration has announced recently that the number of student visas for Indian students studying in Canada has doubled. This is due to...

On 8 February 2010 the Immigration Minister Chris Evans announced a number of major changes to the Australian immigration system. This will affect applicants applying for General Skilled Migration. Immigration Minister Chris Evans announced the outcome of a review of the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL). This has resulted in MODL being revoked with immediate effect; This has been replaced by a more targeted skilled occupations list which it is hoped will better meet the demands of Australia’s labour market. The Immigration Minister also announced that the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL) will be replaced in the second half of 2010. There will be a new list of targeted occupations to be determined by an independent organisation ‘Skills Australia’.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans had the following to say: The Australian Rudd Government is reforming Australian skilled immigration so that the immigration system will better deal with the needs...

Students from North India, Bangladesh and Nepal wishing to study in a higher education course will from 1 March 2010 again be able to apply for an UK student visa. This will help thousands of students who have been unable to apply for a student visa since the 1 February 2010 suspension. Pat McFadden, the Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, had the following to say, “The suspension was taken in response to a huge surge in applications over a very short period of time.” “I am delighted to be able to announce today that, from 1 March, this suspension will be lifted for all students wanting to study higher education courses, whether foundation degrees, undergraduate or postgraduate.” Unfortunately the ban will continue for the time being for student applicants who wish to enter the UK to study at a level lower than undergraduate level.

There have been a...

UK immigration recently announced full details of the UK student visa changes under Tier 4 of the points based system. The intention of the changes is to make it more difficult for bogus students from outside Europe to gain entry to the UK. This follows a review of the Tier 4 visa system in November 2009. The new UK Tier 4 Student Visa requirements include the following: