Blunders at UK Border Agency allowed up to 50,000 bogus students to enter Britain illegally

More blunders by the under-fire UK Border Agency allowed up to 50,000 bogus students to enter Britain illegally, a damning report has revealed.

Flaws in the student visa system were exploited by migrants coming to the UK for work, according to the public spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO).

Now furious MPs are calling on the UK Border Agency (UKBA) - already condemned by ministers after a catalogue of blunders - to "get a grip" and fix the way it deals with student visas.

"This is one of the most shocking reports of poor management leading to abuse that I have seen," said ex-Labour minister Margaret Hodge, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee of MPs.

The NAO report reveals the points-based system was set up without key controls, potentially leading to tens of thousands of migrants entering the UK without any checks as to whether they were attending a college.

The auditors also found the agency did little to ensure foreign students leave the UK when requests to extend their stay are refused. Read More