_Vinayak Barot
New Delhi: The latest statement released by the government of the United Kingdom shows that the flow of students who wants to study in the UK has increased immensely. The London government on June 13, announced that the time to issue student visas could be five weeks which was three weeks so far.
With the announcement of the point-based immigration system in the UK, thousands of students have expressed their interest to start a study, work and settle in the UK. Many students and professionals have started to see their careers and future in one of the strongest economies in the Europe region.
In an update on visa decision waiting times for applications outside the UK, the government has said that student visa applications are currently taking an average of five weeks to process- up from the usual three weeks.
British High Commission spokesperson apologized for the delays applicants are experiencing and confirmed, “We are working urgently to reduce the current processing time as quickly as possible.”
“There is always a significant number of student visa applications in July and August, therefore we encourage student visa applicants to apply for the visa as early as possible to avoid any delays. We are working with the education sector and our commercial partners to get this important message to students,” he added.
According to immigration experts, the people who are planning to settle in the UK may have more opportunities for jobs in the UK as compared to Canada and Australia.
Point Based System
Access to most UK visas is via the points-based system adopted after the UK left the European Union. To secure a skilled worker visa, people have to qualify for 70 points.
Having a job offer from an approved employer for a skilled job and being able to speak English will give 50 points.
The applicant can achieve the remaining 20 points if they are due to be paid at least £25,600 a year.
They can also gain extra points for having better qualifications (10 points for a relevant Ph.D., or 20 points for a Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or maths) or an offer of a job in which the UK has a shortage (20 points), even if it doesn’t pay as much money.
Certain jobs in health or education still merit 20 points even if the salary is less than £25,600. The applicant must be paid at least £20,480, and in line with set amounts for particular jobs in the UK’s four nations.
The exception to this is Irish citizens, who are still able to live and work in the UK as part of the Common Travel Area.