Immigration Essentials for Independent Schools - Bristol
A seminar for key personnel – Authorising Officers, Key Contacts, Level 1 and 2 users of the sponsor management system.
A seminar for key personnel – Authorising Officers, Key Contacts, Level 1 and 2 users of the sponsor management system.
A working knowledge of immigration law and practice has never been so important to independent schools as today...
An estimated 650 independent schools are registered with UK Visas and Immigration under Tier 4 and independent schools sponsor around 15,000 overseas pupils each year.
The Government continues to target net migration and oversees students, bringing pressure to bear on schools, pupils and staff – particularly those within schools who have a front line role in dealing with UKVI.
UKVI guidance for school sponsors and pupil applicants is regularly reissued, making keeping up to date challenging but vital.
In the year to September 2016, UKVI:
- Carried out 113 compliance visits to Tier 4 sponsors, the majority of which were unannounced
- Threatened 102 Tier 4 sponsors with the loss of their licence
- Revoked 43 Tier 4 licences
Our Tier 4 team of specialists includes Matthew Burgess, Judith Hockin, Charlie Heffernan and Tom Brett Young, all of whom have substantial experience advising schools, colleges and education businesses on all aspects of immigration law and compliance.
Matthew has led the development of the firm's Tier 4 work for education institutions, building on his unique perspective resulting from negotiations with the Home Office and UKBA over the original introduction of Tier 4 of the points based system in 2008/09. He conducts audits for educational establishments to ensure they are complying with their reporting and recording duties, and has successfully represented educational institutions threatened with action, including licence revocation, following alleged failings in sponsor compliance.
Judith has acted for businesses applying for a sponsorship licence to employ migrants under Tier 2. She has also assisted schools, colleges and universities with applications under Tier 4 General and Child students, particularly advising on appeals against refusals of applications. She conducts audits for businesses and educational establishments to ensure they are complying with their reporting and recording duties. She has submitted successful challenges by way of objections against civil penalties given by the UK Border Agency/UK Visas and Immigration for companies accused of employing illegal workers and advised on successful Judicial Review applications when a licence has been revoked. Judith regularly provides training for educational establishments and businesses advising on issues relating to immigration law.
Charlie advises schools on the parent contract, parental complaints, regulatory compliance, safeguarding, and equality and disability issues. Charlie has a particular specialism in Tier 4 immigration compliance and the Prevent duty. Prior to law, Charlie had an alternative career which enabled her to gain investigatory expertise in child protection and safeguarding. This, together with her project management and strategy planning experience enables her to see issues from an alternative prospective; she gets to the point quickly and provides effective practical solutions for her clients.
Tom advises corporate clients on all aspects of UK immigration law which affect their activities, such Tier 2 sponsorship and the UK’s prevention of illegal working legislation. He also advises on immigration applications by individuals under all Points-Based System immigration categories and categories outside of the Points-Based System, including EEA free movement and discretionary applications. Tom is an active member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) and co-convenor of its Economic Migration Working Group. He is regularly invited to speak on UK immigration at conferences and seminars in the UK and overseas, and delivers training on business immigration to fellow immigration practitioners, lawyers practising in other disciplines and corporate clients.
We will provide comprehensive coverage of all topics relevant to independent schools, including:
Course materials will be aimed at key personnel – Authorising Officers, Key Contacts, Level 1 and 2 users of the sponsor management system.
For further information please contact our Events team.