These are just some of the frailties facing Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas and the Border Agency in the lead-up to the roll out of the new immigration system at the end of the month.

Shadow Minister for Immigration, Damian Green, leads an already long list of parties expressing concerns to Global Visas at laws being rushed through before the points-based system goes live on November 27.

“We want a proper discussion of these regulations before they come into force,” Green told Global Visas.

The most controversial aspect relates to the apparent lack of registered sponsors on the scheme. There were under eight-hundred in early October, compared to the many thousands using the work permit scheme that is being replaced.

Employers have expressed their disapproval at being asked to take on the extra responsibility of unpaid immigration officers by checking details of potential employees.

In the current system, a UK government official decides who can and cannot come into the UK, under the points-based system the responsibility falls to the sponsor.

An ill-informed decision results in a hefty fine and possible imprisonment. Those willing to run the risk and profit illegally from immigration need not worry. The decision by Border Agency staff to stop reviewing applications before registering sponsors provides a definite weakness in the system benefiting the fraudsters.

The apparent lack of resources available to immigration officers has infuriated academics also. Last week two hundred of them signed a petition organised by Ian Grigg-Spall, academic chair of the National Critical Lawyers Group, signed also by leading academic lawyers, the head of the lecturers’ union and Tony Benn.

They are unhappy at being asked to monitor the movements of international students and argue “police-like surveillance is not the function of universities”, they have called on MPs to oppose the new rules.

Sir Andrew Greene, founder of MigrationWatch, an independent think tank concerned with the present scale of immigration into the UK also voiced concerns to Global Visas adding he is, ‘standing by to see what the government says’.

Perhaps the loudest call of trepidation has come from the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), a professional organisation of barristers, solicitors and advocates practicing in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law.

Having urged both Houses of Parliament to ‘pray against’ the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules presented on November 4, they are encouraging an open debate and opportunity for the points-based system to be scrutinised and challenged for the first time.

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