Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Asylum seekersLatest NewsRecruitment & retentionMigrant workers

Visa applications centres closure plan raises fears of more potential terrorists getting jobs in the UK

by Personnel Today 9 Jul 2007
by Personnel Today 9 Jul 2007

Exclusive

The government plans to close down UK visa application outposts in more than 140 countries, increasing the risk of potential terrorists getting jobs in the UK, an insider has claimed.

Liam Clifford, director of immigration consultancy Global Visas, told Personnel Today that he was “extremely concerned” about the plans.

Clifford, a former Home Office immigration officer and a well-respected voice in the sector, said he was told in a closed meeting with government agency UKVisas that the posts would be phased out over the next five to 10 years.

This follows deals struck with two private companies – one based in India – to handle aspects of the visa application process.

“I was told by directors at UKVisas in a meeting in Paddington, London, in May that they were going to close most of the 150 consular posts – leaving just five or 10,” he said. “This is not in the public domain yet, but it is absolutely going to go through.”

But UKVisas has “categorically denied” the claim that any consular posts will be closed.

Its spokeswoman told Personnel Today: “There are no plans to reduce the number of posts down to five or 10 from 2008. The roll-out for our biometrics programme will not finish until 2008, and it will be impossible to work without them.”

UKVisas could confirm, however, that the government has signed contracts with two private employers, Hampshire-based CSC and Mumbai-based VFS, to act as visa application centres in a number of locations globally. The commercial partners will receive applications, take fees, and collect biometric data from applicants, and then forward this to the British Embassy or High Commission.

Clifford insisted the document checking currently handled by British government employees would be handed over to CSC and VFS, replacing the current system.

“It is going to get very messy,” he said. “I believe that by giving authority to commercial partners and taking government employees out of the picture, you are creating a huge security risk for the UK public.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“We are losing a line of defence in keeping terrorists out of the country. I am extremely concerned and I am certain this will unravel eventually. There will be a [security] incident.”

But the UKVisas spokeswoman said: “Commercial partners are only responsible for the ‘front office’ part of the visa operation, and will play no role in security checks or decision making.”


Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Gordon Brown urged to launch autism compact with employers
next post
Employers crack down on unauthorised absence

You may also like

The employer strikes back: the rise of ‘quiet...

13 Jun 2025

Data ‘blind spots’ blighting employee relations

13 Jun 2025

EHRC defends interim update as ‘balance of clarity...

13 Jun 2025

HR is second ‘most sexist profession’ survey suggests

13 Jun 2025

Former employees of Wilko gain £2m payout

13 Jun 2025

Capita rolls out ‘agentic AI’ to speed up...

13 Jun 2025

Lawyers warn over impact of Employment Rights Bill...

13 Jun 2025

Redundancies boost candidate availability at fastest pace since...

13 Jun 2025

Workplace disputes: ‘Most employment tribunals could be avoided’

12 Jun 2025

Racism claims have tripled and ‘Equality Act is...

12 Jun 2025

  • Preparing for a new era of workforce planning (webinar) WEBINAR | Employers now face...Read more
  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+