LONDON: Britain has taken a soft stand in its approach towards foreign students staying on illegally in the country -- the government has decided not to deport them.
According to a 'secret memo' leaked to the 'Daily Mail', the immigration officials have been ordered to give a low priority status to the deportation of foreign students who overstay their visas.
Students are by far the biggest category for long-term visitors to Britain, with over 1.6 million visas handed out in the last five years. However, figures are not available on over-stayers because no checks are made on who leaves the UK.
The memo was written by Jonathan Lindley, the Director of Enforcement at Border and Immigration Agency, and has been sent to the agency's six regional directors.
"Please instruct your enforcement teams not to proceed with enforcing any student refusal cases unless they are deemed, at at least inspector level, to be a priority."
"Student case working teams have been instructed not to pass any further student refusal cases linked to this issue to enforcement teams," the British newspaper quoted the document as saying.
The note has also pointed out a recent rule change which was meant to crack down on student over-stayers, making them automatically liable for refusal if they sought a visa extension.
According to official statistics, huge numbers of students flock to Britain with 309,000 arriving in 2006, up nine per cent in a year, and more than double the number of foreigners have been granted work permits.
Just days before the secret memo was written Home Secretary Jacqui Smith gave a speech in London boasting of plans to toughen up the system, promising 'robust management' to ensure that all migrants 'play by the rules'.
