Page 7 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

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UK ELT targets agents with ‘English Home Office outlines
with Confidence’ campaign ETA plans
lAnguAge lAnguAge
new ‘English with Confidence’ he UK’s Home Office has outlined plans to
campaign has been launched by introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation
A English UK, the British Council and T(ETA) system for visitors by 2024 as part of
the Department for International Trade a wider reform of the immigration system and
to reassure and rebuild the ELT market. border security.
The new campaign website https:// The principle of an ETA was first flagged by
study.englishuk.com provides promotional materials for schools the government in 2018. The Home Office has
and agents, and information for agents, students and families now confirmed that it intends for the scheme
about quality and safety in the UK in the wake of Covid-19 and to be operational by 2024 and will ensure that
Brexit immigration changes. The campaign will run until the everyone travelling to the UK - except UK and
autumn of 2022 under the ‘Education is GREAT’ promotional banner. Irish nationals - will require permission in
Jodie Gray, Chief Executive of English UK www.englishuk.com, advance of travel, either through an ETA or
said, “It sends a powerful message to our international agents and with a visa.
partners that the UK is open for business.” bit.ly/3hWrtSw This means that non-visa nationals – which
currently includes all EU countries, and student

Liverpool School of
English closes
lAnguAge
K ELT provider The Liverpool
School of English, established
Uin 1999, has ceased trading and
entered voluntary liquidation.
Craig Povey, Partner of Begbies Traynor, appointed as joint liqui- markets such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Japan,
dators, said, “Since March 2020, the company has been adversely Mexico and South Korea – will need to apply for
affected as a result of the global response to the pandemic. These an ETA for short-term (less than six months)
measures made the business unsustainable after so many years programmes from 2024.
of success. The directors have explored every single avenue to The Home Office said the process for grant-
keep the business going since March 2020 but ultimately the chal- ing an ETA will be largely automated. It also set
lenges presented to them by lockdown restrictions and a decision out plans for more digitalisation of the visa
by their insurance company not to pay out on business interrup- process, allowing for more automated passages
tion and infectious disease claims were too great to overcome.” through airports, and of the biometrics collec-
English UK confirmed to STM that there has been no call on the tion process, reducing the need for applicants
association’s Student Emergency Support system. bit.ly/3rtboa1 to provide fingerprints in person. bit.ly/3eMRz8x

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