Educational agents and international student recruitment: a UKVI compliance perspective

🏷️ From £90
🎧 Admissions, deputies, bursars, senior leaders
📍 Online
🎥 Watch live or on catch
✅ Included in BSA CPD Pass

Course outline:

Overview 

The use of educational agents is well established within the international schools sector and continues to play an important role in supporting student recruitment. However, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has increased its focus on the oversight of agent relationships and remains clear that Student sponsor licence holders retain full responsibility for compliance with their sponsor duties, regardless of any delegated recruitment activity. 

As scrutiny of international recruitment practices continues to evolve, schools must be able to demonstrate effective governance, due diligence, and ongoing monitoring of agent relationships. This webinar will explore UKVI’s current expectations, recent developments affecting Student sponsors, and the practical steps schools can take to mitigate compliance risks while maintaining productive recruitment partnerships. 

Drawing on real-life examples and emerging areas of concern, the session will provide practical guidance on identifying potential red flags, evidencing appropriate oversight, and preparing for UKVI compliance activity. 

Learning outcomes 

By the end of this webinar, delegates will be able to: 

• Understand UKVI’s expectations regarding the use and oversight of educational agents
• Identify key compliance risks associated with agent relationships
• Implement effective due diligence, monitoring, and record-keeping practices  
• Demonstrate appropriate oversight of agent activities to meet sponsor duties  
• Prepare for UKVI scrutiny of agent relationships during compliance activity.  

Topics covered 

• Sponsor responsibility and accountability  
• UKVI’s current position and areas of focus  
• The Agent Quality Framework (AQF)  
• Agent due diligence and monitoring  
• Governance, oversight, and record-keeping  
• Common compliance concerns and red flags  
• Preparing for UKVI compliance visits. 

Who should attend? 

• Admissions and international recruitment staff 
• Compliance and visa sponsorship leads 
• Heads, deputy heads, and senior leaders 
• Bursars and business managers 
• Existing Student sponsor licence key personnel 
• Governors with responsibility for international strategy, risk, or compliance.

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This event will be held jointly with:

Speaker:

Kate Hollyer, Director of BSA Legal
Kate advises independent day and boarding schools on the immigration law governing their international student recruitment. She leads the legal function across Abitas Group, heads its SRA-regulated practice BSA Legal, and has practised in UK immigration law for over 15 years.

Her work covers Student sponsor licence compliance at senior leadership and governance level, and she acts for schools facing UKVI enforcement action. For schools sponsoring under-18s, immigration compliance is safeguarding, and much of her practice sits where sponsor duties and safeguarding frameworks meet. She has lived in boarding schools throughout her career.

Kate represents the school sector on the Home Office’s Future Border and Immigration System (FBIS) Education Advisory Group and the UK Agent Quality Framework Steering Group, and the boarding sector at the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Students. She is a qualified solicitor and a member of ILPA.