Illegal immigrants get into UK through 'bogus college' route

London, July 21 (ANI): The British Home Affairs Committee has said that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants get into the UK because they claim to attend colleges, which turn out to be fake,, despite he Government's claim that hundreds of bogus colleges have already been closed

The committee said most come in on fraudulent visas in order to work illegally and not to further their education.

Chairman Keith Vaz said it was "unacceptable and unbelievable" that ministers had done nothing about the problem despite knowing about it for more than a decade.

A report by the committee questioned the rigour of college inspections by officials and criticised the UK Border Agency for giving advance notice of inspections to more than 80 percent of colleges, Sky News reported.

Earlier this year Immigration minister Phil Woolas admitted bogus colleges were the "Achilles heel" of the immigration system.

Fears were raised over the checks carried out on foreign students after a group of Pakistani students was arrested in anti-terror raids in the North West of England.o charges were brought, but the Home Office is still trying to deport seven students on the grounds they pose a threat to national security. Two others face deportation over visa irregularities.

Since March this year, all education institutions, which want to bring non-EU students into, the country, need to be approved by the UK Border Agency.

Woolas said: "By introducing the tough new student tier of the points based system, I have ensured that only genuine foreign students can travel to the UK". (ANI)