“We have written a lot about the recent Tier 4 visa changes in the UK, which have had a significant impact on the ease with which international students from outside the EU can apply for a study visa to the UK. Recent data released last week shows that the number of student visas issued increased by 35 per cent in the 12 months following the introduction of the original Tier 4 visa system in March 2009. These statistics reveal the reasons behind more recent decisions by the government to introduce stricter application requirements by students applying for a visa, which have had such a devastating affect on language schools in the UK in recent months. The question is, why the UK government did not listen to industry bodies at an earlier stage and introduce a more robust and workable student visa system from the outset.”