Page 6 - StudyTravel Magazine November 2023 Issue

WorldWide

Tamwood joins ILAC education UK student visa fees to
Group portfolio increase by a third
lAnguAge tertiAry lAnguAge secondAry tertiAry AssociAted
anadian language, vocational and he UK Home Office announced increases to
summer camp provider Tamwood visa fees, including for the student, visitor
Chttps://tamwood.com has been Tand working holiday streams, from October.
acquired by ILAC Education Group The increases to visa charges came into
https://www.ilac.com. effect on October 4th, and saw the fee for
The deal, announced at ST Alphe UK 2023, sees Tamwood join student visa applications from outside the UK
the ILAC portfolio, which includes the International Language rise from UK£363 to UK£490.
Academy of Canada, pathway and ILAC Higher Education divisions. The charge for a Visitor Visa for up to six
Tamwood - which operates campuses in Toronto, Vancouver and months increased by UK£15 to UK£115, while the
Whistler and junior camps in Canada and the USA - will continue to Working Holiday Visa also went up by 15 per cent
operate under the same brand name. to UK£298.
“The partnership brings together two of the best brands in our Meanwhile, the fee for the Graduate Route
industry, giving our students and agents more quality choices of post-study work rights for students who
than ever before,” said John DeFranco, CEO of ILAC. “We will have completed degree courses increased from
continue to build upon the strong Tamwood brand as we look for UK£715 to UK£822, a rise of 15 per cent.
opportunities to accelerate growth, utilising our combined sales, The fees for premium services outside of
marketing and operational resources.” the UK also changed: the Priority Visa Service
Matt Collingwood, Co-Founder of Tamwood, who joins the ILAC doubled from UK£250 to UK£500; and the Super
leadership as President of Tamwood and ILAC International College, Priority Visa Service
said, “The union will allow the Tamwood brand to offer even more rose slightly from
opportunities for students and agents, including ESL, summer UK£956 to UK£1,000.
camps, work and study and pathways into public colleges.” The changes to visa
Fellow Co-Founder Tamsin Plaxton, will work as a strategic advi- fees do not include
sor to ILAC while also pursuing new career opportunities. the planned increases
Both ILAC and Tamwood are inductees in the StudyTravel Super to the Immigration
Star Hall of Fame for winning the ST Star English Language School Health Surcharge (IHS) – which is required for all
North America category five times. Full story at: bit.ly/3Rs8W2D visa applicants coming to the UK for at least six
Meanwhile, ILAC also announced the launch of The Canada months – due to be introduced later this year
Employment Forum, a new service to connect international (see STM, Sep 23, p.3).
students and local employers. In a statement, the Home Office said that
The Canada Employment Forum will aim to “develop and increases to immigration and nationality fees
enhance partnerships with employers across Canada, ensuring are “to pay for vital services and allows more
ILAC students have access to a wide array of employment funding to be prioritised for public sector pay
opportunities, both during and after their studies”, ILAC said. See rises”. At the time of writing, UK£1 = US$1.24.
more at: bit.ly/3t0p4OB Read more at: bit.ly/3ETqEUY

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