Stricter rules for Indian students

Updated on: Thursday, February 11, 2010

London: Unveiling details of the points system for those wishing to earn British Citizenship from next year, Home secretary Alan Johnson said genuine students will continue to be welcome in the country.

The details announced on Wednesday comes days after Britain suspended issuing student visas in north India, Bangladesh and Nepal, suspecting large scale irregularities.

Earlier on Sunday, Johnson had announced tightening of the British student visa regime. The new regulations will ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK, and that their dependants cannot work here at all.

Announcing points system, Johnson said, "From 2011, we will put the mechanisms in place that will ensure that people who are allowed to become citizens have earned their right to stay here."

"We will do this using a points test, giving us the ability to take clear, enforceable decisions about who should be allowed to stay permanently, with the flexibility to raise or lower the threshold for citizenship, depending on the current interests of the country and economy, he said.

Immigration is a major issue in the forthcoming general elections as the opposition Conservative party accuse the Labour of failing on the front

Stricter rules for Indian students

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