To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that international student visas are issued in time for the start of the upcoming university term.
Answered on
21 July 2022
The UK continues to be a world leader for international education, the number of international higher education students in the UK is currently over 600,000 a year.
As part of our regular planning, we have analysed the expected demand and resource needed for the summer period. We commenced training additional staff from the beginning of May, and this will continue throughout June and July, to ensure we have enough staff in place. We are also working with our commercial suppliers to ensure they have capacity to meet the student demand as we approach the summer peak.
We have closely engaged with the education sector on our plans, and to reinforce the part they play in ensuring sponsorship certificates are issued by them in good time before a course is due to start. We have also communicated with the education sector to encourage students to apply as soon as they canand to ensure they supply all the necessary documents to prevent delays.
Students applying for their initial Student visa to come to the UK can apply up to 6 months before the start of the course and we encourage them to apply as early as possible