To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of bogus colleges previously closed down for having sponsored visas for people who intended to work in the UK rather than study that are now operating under new names.
Answered on
5 April 2018
Since 2010 the Home Office has revoked over 900 Tier 4 Licences which will include circumstances where the sponsor was found to be non-compliant with our requirements. The Home Office does not routinely hold data on the activities of or changes made to an institution after it has been revoked, as we no longer retain any oversight of the institution.
When new Tier 4 licence applications are made, we undertake checks on an institution to see if they have previously had a licence revoked. We will also check any key personnel and others involved in the running of the institution to examine their suitability to hold a sponsor licence. This will include checks regarding any previous ownership of revoked institutions and the circumstances for revocation. Where appropriate we will refuse a licence application where we are not satisfied the institution or personnel involved meet the suitability criteria to hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence.