Number of Pinoy 'fake students' seeking UK visas declining — embassy exec

The number of Filipinos seeking United Kingdom visas under the guise of studying but are actually seeking employment has significantly declined in recent years, an official of the British Embassy Manila said. In an interview with GMA News Online on Tuesday, Ed Mackie, Regional Manager at the UK Border Agency (UKBA), said the UK government has taken steps to determine "genuine students." The UKBA is part of the UK Embassy and handles issues related to migration into the country, including visa applications. "Around about 2008, there has been a problem with Filipinos who are using the student route in the UK but quite clearly using that route not for genuine purposes of study but to basically come in the UK and work,” Mackie said. He noted that the UK government has since set out stricter measures as "it will just not tolerate abuse” of the situation. “Those numbers of students have dropped off significantly in the last three years. The UK government’s policy is absolutely clear that we only want people to come on the student route who are genuine students coming to study at very good establishments in the United Kingdom,” Mackie said. He cited the number of student visa applications at the British Embassy Manila:

• 2009: 5,975 applications;
• 2010: 3,139 applications, and
• 2011: 1,606 applications.

'Good quality applicants' Despite the problem with some Filipinos seeking student visas, Mackie said "what we’re now seeing largely is those Filipino applicants who do apply are by and large good-quality applicants.” In 2011, the Department of Foreign affairs had to issue a statement discouraging the practice of applying for student visas as a means to find work in the UK. The DFA was concerned with the high number of Filipinos who go to the UK to seek part-time or full-time employment under a student visa.- VVP, GMA News