Fear of terrorism sparks UK’s cut in foreign student visas
Fear of terrorism sparks UK’s cut in foreign student visas
16:25, February 08, 2010 
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The UK is planning a crackdown on foreign student visas, in the face of mounting concern about abuse of student visa rules by migrant jobseekers and potential terrorists.
The number of student visas could be cut by tens of thousands under new rules making it harder for people to enter the UK, the home secretary, Alan Johnson, announced Sunday.
The new controls came six weeks after the failed attempt on Christmas Day to bomb an American airliner. The 23-year-old Nigerian charged in that attack, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, spent three years in Britain as an engineering student.
"We remain open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study. But those who are not seriously interested in coming here to study but come primarily to work, should be in no doubt that we will come down hard on those that flout the rules. I make no apologies for strengthening an already robust system," said Johnson.
By People's Daily Online
The number of student visas could be cut by tens of thousands under new rules making it harder for people to enter the UK, the home secretary, Alan Johnson, announced Sunday.
The new controls came six weeks after the failed attempt on Christmas Day to bomb an American airliner. The 23-year-old Nigerian charged in that attack, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, spent three years in Britain as an engineering student.
"We remain open to those foreign students who want to come to the UK for legitimate study. But those who are not seriously interested in coming here to study but come primarily to work, should be in no doubt that we will come down hard on those that flout the rules. I make no apologies for strengthening an already robust system," said Johnson.
By People's Daily Online
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