Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF

Immigration Page 1 of 25

ICEF Exchange podcast: Reopening visa services for the ELT sectors in the UK, Ireland and Malta

Our podcast series continues today with a special focus on visas. It is fair to say that visa processing has been one of the biggest issues in student...

US immigration confirms new international students cannot enter the US for “100% online” studies

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began the month of July by announcing new guidance that would have effectively barred international students from entering or remaining in the...

UK continues to reopen visa processing and ease travel restrictions

As of this writing, the UK is at a “Level Three” COVID-19 alert level, meaning that the UK government has deemed the virus to be “in general circulation”...

Australia resumes student visa processing with new measures to strengthen international education sector

The Australian government announced several important developments for student visa processing earlier this week in a bid to “ensure international students are not worse off due to the...

US administration withdraws controversial immigration rule for online studies

Earlier today, the US government rescinded a much-criticised directive regarding international students and online studies. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) guidance, issued 6 July, had stated that,...

US issues “horrifying” rule change that requires foreign students to leave the country if their study programme transitions to online-only

Updated 14 July: The US administration announced during a court hearing today that it would rescind the 6 July guidance described here. Please see our more recent post...

US suspends several work visa programmes, including H-1B

US President Donald Trump has suspended a number of non-immigrant visa programmes until the end of 2020, citing the high unemployment caused by COVID-19 as the basis for...

Ireland: temporary visa measures for language students and a plan for recovery

Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, has introduced a package of temporary measures to ease visa conditions for international students following language courses in Ireland. In a...

US immigration review raises new concerns for H-1B and OPT programmes

On 22 April 2020, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation suspending entry of most new immigrants to the United States for at least 60 days (the suspension may...

Canada eases immigration rules to allow incoming students to begin studies online

There is more reassuring news for international students who have received a study permit for Canada for spring 2020. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced those...

Country briefing: Canada confirms travel exemption and emergency assistance for eligible international students

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series of country-specific briefings that we will publish in the coming weeks on major study destinations and sending markets...

UK introduces new points-based immigration system

The UK Home office has announced that EU students will now be treated in much the same way as non-EU students, with some exceptions, under a new immigration...

Canada: New visa pilot aims to reduce processing time for Nigerian students

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has announced a new pilot project – Nigeria Student Express (NSE) – that is geared at reducing study permit processing times for...

Nigeria included in expanded US immigration ban but students can still obtain visas

The United States has extended the list of countries whose citizens will, with some exceptions, be barred from entering the US on immigrant visas beginning on 22 February...

Reports of some Iranian students being detained and deported from US airports

Iran sends tens of thousands of students abroad every year – including more than 12,000 to the US, making Iran the second-most important Middle Eastern market for US...