Highly Trusted Status (HTS) refusal overturned

Penningtons' immigration team has achieved a successful outcome for a college which had its Highly Trusted Status application refused. The UKBA's initial reason for refusal was that 'the college had failed to meet the criteria because 5% of students who enrolled failed to complete their course'. Penningtons managed to obtain clarification from the UKBA of the decision making process and also a list of students that the UKBA alleged had failed to complete their course.

The college had evidence regarding the students in question; the students had either left the UK or had changed institution.

Urgent representations were made in the form of a letter before action, allowing the UKBA 48 hours to reconsider the decision. Penningtons quoted in its representations that 'the UKBA had no exit controls, the college had produced evidence confirming that students had left the UK; in the absence of any exit controls and the UKBA having its own data on who had left the UK, the UKBA must acccept the evidence that the college has presented'.

An HTS licence was fundamental to the survival of the college and the refusal of HTS meant that the college would lose £2.5 million in future revenue.

The UKBA reconsidered its decision to refuse the HTS licence within four hours of the representations being submitted and the college now has Highly Trusted Sponsor Status. 

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