UK border authorities warn there may be over 90,000 'fake' foreign students in country
London, Dec 19 (ANI)
Warnings have been made over as many as 90,000 bogus foreign students in Britain since London Metropolitan University was stripped of its licence to sponsor overseas students four months ago.
The university was stripped of its licence in August, a move that prompted warnings by other universities over foreign students who may have failed to enroll on courses or who had stopped attending classes.
Rob Whiteman, chief executive of the UK Border Agency, said that a team was being created to tackle the issue, the Telegraph reports.
The report also quoted Mark Harper, the immigration minister, as saying that London Metropolitan University served as 'a lesson' to institutions over 'what would happen if they didn't meet their sponsorship requirements'.
A UK parliamentary report warned that ministers should remove international students from the Government's targets on migration, or risk damaging the quality and competitiveness of British universities, and harming the UK's influence around the world.
According to the paper, Britain is currently the second most popular destination for international students after America.
But recent data suggest applications will fall because of new rules relating to student visas, according to the report by the House of Lords EU committee, the paper said.