The BBC reports that a third more UK university places have been filled through ‘clearing’ than at this point last year, according to figures from admissions body UCAS.
By early on Monday, 17,878 places had been snapped up through the system used to allocate remaining places, compared to 13,597 a year ago - a 31% rise.
Record university applications ahead of next year's tuition free rises sparked fears of an unprecedented scramble from home based students.
But UCAS says there is only a slight rise in places pressure on last year.
The number of applicants is about 10,000 higher than last year, at 684,098, but the number of places available remains unchanged, at about 480,000.
By Monday, about 425,487 university places had been filled in total, about 10,000 more at this point last year. This leaves about 55,000 still to be filled.
Last year, about 47,000 students got places through clearing, which is used mainly by students who were not offered places or did not get the necessary grades to secure a place they were offered.
Some 300,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level results on Thursday.
But many faced a stressful day trying to confirm whether they had a university place, as a key part of the UCAS website was overwhelmed with traffic and had to be taken down for a few hours.
In total, 61,737 applicants are still waiting for a decision on their place, although this is down slightly on last year's figure.
Fees rise for UK students in 2012
Many UK students have been keen to avoid the September 2012 rise in tuition fees, primarily for students living in England, which will see study costs rise nearly threefold. Source BBC.
A spokesman for UK University Services (UKUS) said:
‘Whilst the UK University's shortage of places do not directly affect international students who want to study in the UK, the reduced number of places may leave fewer options.’
‘Overseas students hoping to start in September are advised to act fast to avoid disappointment.’
UK Universities still need overseas students to boost revenue and Britain needs the estimated £40 billion which they add to the economy.
See also:
Colleges and Universities discount fees to attract more Tier 4 students
Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa open for applications
Malaysian student mugging victim vows to finish his studies in London
Pre Tier 4 students in the UK under the Immigration Rules that were in place before 31 March 2009
New Tier 4 student visa rules now in force
For free immigration news updates, please visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk or email: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk
Looking for a college or University or need advice?
UKUS is a free University and College Admissions and advice service based in London, UK. Students interested in studying abroad can complete the Online UKUS Registration Form for more details.
Thursday, 25 August 2011
UK firms plan to recruit more EU migrants to fill job vacancies
Employers will turn to EU to fill vacancies report shows.
The proportion of employers planning to recruit migrant workers has risen despite the government’s immigration cap, CIPD research has shown.
A quarter (25 per cent) of organisations questioned in the institute’s summer Labour Market Outlook survey say they plan to recruit migrants in the next quarter, up from 22 per cent in the spring survey and the highest proportion on record for the regular research. The finding, which is consistent with ONS data on the number of new arrivals to the UK, comes despite the government’s annual migration cap on non-EU nationals, imposed in April.
A lack of job-specific skills in the UK was cited by six in ten employers as the reason for continuing to look abroad. Worryingly for the government, employers affected by the cap were more likely to say that they are responding by recruiting more EU workers (34 per cent) which are not limited by the cap, rather than by up-skilling their existing workforce (23 per cent).
“We now have a strange anomaly where we have persistently high levels of unemployment but the number of employers reporting recruitment difficulties remains high,” CIPD public policy adviser Gerwyn Davies told PM. “This is because we have an ever more highly skilled economy, with new skilled jobs coming on stream while low skilled jobs are decreasing or being farmed off to China and South Asia. As a result, the supply of highly skilled workers is simply not meeting the demand and we need overseas workers to fill the gap - in areas such as engineering, IT, and even in the public sector where we have a shortage of doctors and nurses and other key positions.”
“There is mixed news for the government here,” continued Davies. “The bad news is that the first resort for employers is simply to look towards the EU, and we’re seeing many employers now looking to the likes of Ireland, Spain, and other countries that have high levels of unemployment to fill some of these roles. However, there is some good news in that a quarter say they will up-skill existing workers - a stated objective of the government - and 18 per cent say they will recruit more graduates. However, another fly in the ointment is that 8 per cent say they are planning to offshore further jobs abroad, which continues to be a real concern for us.”
The research showed that employers are reducing their use of intra-company transfers (ICTs) which were restricted under the cap to workers earning more than £40,000; only 23 per cent of firms plan to use this method in the next quarter. However, the Tier One visa route for highly skilled non-EU workers remains a popular method, with 34 per cent hiring staff through this route.
While the Tier One route for general high-skilled workers has been severely restricted by the government, the Tier One route for post-study workers remains open until 2013, and the real crunch for employers will come when this route is closed down in two years time and other visas are reduced further, Davies added. Source People Management.
Jobs available in the UK despite high unemployment
Despite the government’s best efforts to curb immigration and have more ‘British jobs for British people’, as former PM Gordon Brown put it, employers are still turning to foreign workers to fill jobs which locals are unable or unwilling to do.
Last month David Frost, the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said that the ‘unemployed lack basic skills and a strong work ethic, encouraging companies to fill vacancies with immigrants’.
UK Immigration figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that the number of foreign born workers with jobs in the UK was 4.08 Million in the three months to June this year, a rise of 278,000 from last year.
Care workers needed
In the health care sector employers are increasingly turning to EU workers from A8 countries and A2 Bulgaria and Romania to fill hundreds of vacancies.
Despite high UK unemployment healthcare support workers or care assistants are still desperately needed by care home employers who cannot fill vacancies locally.
This week I have been contacted by two more care home owners looking for care support workers for homes in Hertfordshire, Eastbourne and Crawley.
One employer said, who has previously employed hundreds of overseas workers on work permits and student visas, said he would prefer candidates from Romania or Bulgaria as they could work full time on Yellow Cards.
Both employers have found it difficult to recruit from within the ‘resident labour market’, which is why in the past few years they have turned to overseas workers on work permits or student visas. But recent changes to Tier 2 and Tier 4 of the points based system, have closed off virtually all routes to recruiting non-EU care workers.
Students renewing their visas with private colleges after 4 July 2011 will no longer be allowed to work at all or sponsor their dependants.
In fact only students (applying or renewing visas after 4 July) who are studying at post graduate level or above at a government university will be allowed to work and sponsor a dependant.
Workers from A8 accession countries such as Poland have full ‘free movement of Labour’ rights to work in the UK, however, they are not that keen on care work either and are looking for higher paid work or returning home.
Bulgarians and Romanians who exercise their Treaty Rights (under Article 39) and apply for an accession card as students taking vocational or sandwich courses (e.g. NVQ/QCF in Health and Social Care), are allowed to work full time, as stated on their Yellow Cards.
Some NVQ colleges offer low initial deposits, flexible payments to help students get started and help with job placements (without charge) in the care sector, as well as free support with forms and paperwork.
NVQ and QCF courses have proved popular with Bulgarian and Romanian citizens seeking to gain a UK qualification whilst studying and working in London.
Bulgarians and Romanians applying for BR1 yellow card registration as students who wish to work are being forced to take out Comprehensive Sickness Insurance – a form of private medical cover. The insurance is a new requirement introduced by the UK Border Agency as part of changes to the BR1 Yellow Card form in June. The revised BR1 form does not make it clear that a student will need Comprehensive Sickness Insurance, as the actual question relates to those applying as ‘self sufficient’ EU applicants. For more information on immigration rules for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens visit the UK Border Agency website or see an OISC registered immigration adviser.
See also:
Foreign born worker employment soars by 300,000 in second quarter but while UK born workers lose 50,000 jobs
Health care workers needed in UK now
Illegal worker arrested in UKBA raid, but employers still confused by rules for Bulgarian and Romanian workers
BR1 Form for ‘Yellow Card’ Registration revised
Unemployed Brits ‘lack basic skills and work ethic’, say Chamber of Commerce
Immigration Rules for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa, ILR/Settlement, Citizenship, dependant visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Majestic College offer special packages for EU students. They also have a number of employers looking for staff right now and are willing to employ Bulgarians and Romanians.
For more information call Joanna on 0208 207 1020 or email info@majesticcollege.org
STILL CONFUSED BY YELLOW CARD RULES?
Free presentations are being run at Bison UK Immigration Advisers for Employers, Romanians and Bulgarians – Monday to Friday, from 11am-12noon and 3-4pm. No need to book, just turn up.
Venue: 16 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1DL. Nearest Train Station: Elstree and Borehamwood Station; Buses from Edgware underground station: 107 and 292.
The proportion of employers planning to recruit migrant workers has risen despite the government’s immigration cap, CIPD research has shown.
A quarter (25 per cent) of organisations questioned in the institute’s summer Labour Market Outlook survey say they plan to recruit migrants in the next quarter, up from 22 per cent in the spring survey and the highest proportion on record for the regular research. The finding, which is consistent with ONS data on the number of new arrivals to the UK, comes despite the government’s annual migration cap on non-EU nationals, imposed in April.
A lack of job-specific skills in the UK was cited by six in ten employers as the reason for continuing to look abroad. Worryingly for the government, employers affected by the cap were more likely to say that they are responding by recruiting more EU workers (34 per cent) which are not limited by the cap, rather than by up-skilling their existing workforce (23 per cent).
“We now have a strange anomaly where we have persistently high levels of unemployment but the number of employers reporting recruitment difficulties remains high,” CIPD public policy adviser Gerwyn Davies told PM. “This is because we have an ever more highly skilled economy, with new skilled jobs coming on stream while low skilled jobs are decreasing or being farmed off to China and South Asia. As a result, the supply of highly skilled workers is simply not meeting the demand and we need overseas workers to fill the gap - in areas such as engineering, IT, and even in the public sector where we have a shortage of doctors and nurses and other key positions.”
“There is mixed news for the government here,” continued Davies. “The bad news is that the first resort for employers is simply to look towards the EU, and we’re seeing many employers now looking to the likes of Ireland, Spain, and other countries that have high levels of unemployment to fill some of these roles. However, there is some good news in that a quarter say they will up-skill existing workers - a stated objective of the government - and 18 per cent say they will recruit more graduates. However, another fly in the ointment is that 8 per cent say they are planning to offshore further jobs abroad, which continues to be a real concern for us.”
The research showed that employers are reducing their use of intra-company transfers (ICTs) which were restricted under the cap to workers earning more than £40,000; only 23 per cent of firms plan to use this method in the next quarter. However, the Tier One visa route for highly skilled non-EU workers remains a popular method, with 34 per cent hiring staff through this route.
While the Tier One route for general high-skilled workers has been severely restricted by the government, the Tier One route for post-study workers remains open until 2013, and the real crunch for employers will come when this route is closed down in two years time and other visas are reduced further, Davies added. Source People Management.
Jobs available in the UK despite high unemployment
Despite the government’s best efforts to curb immigration and have more ‘British jobs for British people’, as former PM Gordon Brown put it, employers are still turning to foreign workers to fill jobs which locals are unable or unwilling to do.
Last month David Frost, the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said that the ‘unemployed lack basic skills and a strong work ethic, encouraging companies to fill vacancies with immigrants’.
UK Immigration figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that the number of foreign born workers with jobs in the UK was 4.08 Million in the three months to June this year, a rise of 278,000 from last year.
Care workers needed
In the health care sector employers are increasingly turning to EU workers from A8 countries and A2 Bulgaria and Romania to fill hundreds of vacancies.
Despite high UK unemployment healthcare support workers or care assistants are still desperately needed by care home employers who cannot fill vacancies locally.
This week I have been contacted by two more care home owners looking for care support workers for homes in Hertfordshire, Eastbourne and Crawley.
One employer said, who has previously employed hundreds of overseas workers on work permits and student visas, said he would prefer candidates from Romania or Bulgaria as they could work full time on Yellow Cards.
Both employers have found it difficult to recruit from within the ‘resident labour market’, which is why in the past few years they have turned to overseas workers on work permits or student visas. But recent changes to Tier 2 and Tier 4 of the points based system, have closed off virtually all routes to recruiting non-EU care workers.
Students renewing their visas with private colleges after 4 July 2011 will no longer be allowed to work at all or sponsor their dependants.
In fact only students (applying or renewing visas after 4 July) who are studying at post graduate level or above at a government university will be allowed to work and sponsor a dependant.
Workers from A8 accession countries such as Poland have full ‘free movement of Labour’ rights to work in the UK, however, they are not that keen on care work either and are looking for higher paid work or returning home.
Bulgarians and Romanians who exercise their Treaty Rights (under Article 39) and apply for an accession card as students taking vocational or sandwich courses (e.g. NVQ/QCF in Health and Social Care), are allowed to work full time, as stated on their Yellow Cards.
Some NVQ colleges offer low initial deposits, flexible payments to help students get started and help with job placements (without charge) in the care sector, as well as free support with forms and paperwork.
NVQ and QCF courses have proved popular with Bulgarian and Romanian citizens seeking to gain a UK qualification whilst studying and working in London.
Bulgarians and Romanians applying for BR1 yellow card registration as students who wish to work are being forced to take out Comprehensive Sickness Insurance – a form of private medical cover. The insurance is a new requirement introduced by the UK Border Agency as part of changes to the BR1 Yellow Card form in June. The revised BR1 form does not make it clear that a student will need Comprehensive Sickness Insurance, as the actual question relates to those applying as ‘self sufficient’ EU applicants. For more information on immigration rules for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens visit the UK Border Agency website or see an OISC registered immigration adviser.
See also:
Foreign born worker employment soars by 300,000 in second quarter but while UK born workers lose 50,000 jobs
Health care workers needed in UK now
Illegal worker arrested in UKBA raid, but employers still confused by rules for Bulgarian and Romanian workers
BR1 Form for ‘Yellow Card’ Registration revised
Unemployed Brits ‘lack basic skills and work ethic’, say Chamber of Commerce
Immigration Rules for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa, ILR/Settlement, Citizenship, dependant visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Majestic College offer special packages for EU students. They also have a number of employers looking for staff right now and are willing to employ Bulgarians and Romanians.
For more information call Joanna on 0208 207 1020 or email info@majesticcollege.org
STILL CONFUSED BY YELLOW CARD RULES?
Free presentations are being run at Bison UK Immigration Advisers for Employers, Romanians and Bulgarians – Monday to Friday, from 11am-12noon and 3-4pm. No need to book, just turn up.
Venue: 16 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1DL. Nearest Train Station: Elstree and Borehamwood Station; Buses from Edgware underground station: 107 and 292.
Can family dependants of Tier 4 Students work while studying in the UK?
The answer might not be a straightforward as you think.
The have been several changes to the points based system this year which affects international students changing or renewing their visas.
According to UKCISA, if your dependants made their immigration applications before 3 March 2010, they should be allowed to work if you had permission to be in the UK for 12 months or more. The sticker in their passport or their biometric residence permit (identity card) should say nothing about work or just "No employment as a doctor in training".
If they make their immigration applications on or after 3 March 2010 and before 4 July 2011, your dependants will be given permission to work if:
Tier 4 rules after 4 July
If your family members make their immigration application on or after 4 July 2011, they will be able to work if you are either:
Family members who are allowed to work can take any type of employment, except as a doctor or training if their passport or biometric residence permit states that they are subject to this prohibition, and they can be self-employed. Source: UKCISA.
A spokesman for UK University Services added that there are a number of rule changes which will make it difficult for students renewing visas, especially those at private colleges.
‘Students renewing visas at private colleges will no longer be allowed to work as well as sponsor dependants.
‘In addition the 3 year rule will block those who take too long to complete a lower level course such as an NVQ.
‘In short the government wants international students to study at government colleges and universities.’
Immigration Matters is receiving an alarming number of reports and comments of private colleges closing down. Be very careful who you send money to.
See also:
UK University places filling up faster than last year
Colleges and Universities discount fees to attract more Tier 4 students
Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa open for applications
Malaysian student mugging victim vows to finish his studies in London
Pre Tier 4 students in the UK under the Immigration Rules that were in place before 31 March 2009
New Tier 4 student visa rules now in force
For free immigration news updates, please visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk or email: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk
Looking for a college or University or need advice?
UKUS is a free University and College Admissions and advice service based in London, UK. Students interested in studying abroad can complete the Online UKUS Registration Form for more details.
The have been several changes to the points based system this year which affects international students changing or renewing their visas.
According to UKCISA, if your dependants made their immigration applications before 3 March 2010, they should be allowed to work if you had permission to be in the UK for 12 months or more. The sticker in their passport or their biometric residence permit (identity card) should say nothing about work or just "No employment as a doctor in training".
If they make their immigration applications on or after 3 March 2010 and before 4 July 2011, your dependants will be given permission to work if:
- you have permission to be in the UK for 12 months or more, and
- your course is at degree level or meets the UK Border Agency's definition of a foundation degree.
Tier 4 rules after 4 July
If your family members make their immigration application on or after 4 July 2011, they will be able to work if you are either:
- a government-sponsored student taking a course that is over six months long, or
- taking a postgraduate course (e.g. Masters/MBA) that is at least 12 months long and you are studying at an institution that meets the UK Border Agency's definition of a higher education institution e.g. – a UK university
Family members who are allowed to work can take any type of employment, except as a doctor or training if their passport or biometric residence permit states that they are subject to this prohibition, and they can be self-employed. Source: UKCISA.
A spokesman for UK University Services added that there are a number of rule changes which will make it difficult for students renewing visas, especially those at private colleges.
‘Students renewing visas at private colleges will no longer be allowed to work as well as sponsor dependants.
‘In addition the 3 year rule will block those who take too long to complete a lower level course such as an NVQ.
‘In short the government wants international students to study at government colleges and universities.’
Immigration Matters is receiving an alarming number of reports and comments of private colleges closing down. Be very careful who you send money to.
See also:
UK University places filling up faster than last year
Colleges and Universities discount fees to attract more Tier 4 students
Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa open for applications
Malaysian student mugging victim vows to finish his studies in London
Pre Tier 4 students in the UK under the Immigration Rules that were in place before 31 March 2009
New Tier 4 student visa rules now in force
For free immigration news updates, please visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk or email: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk
Looking for a college or University or need advice?
UKUS is a free University and College Admissions and advice service based in London, UK. Students interested in studying abroad can complete the Online UKUS Registration Form for more details.
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