KATHMANDU: The official website of the UK Prime Minister’s Office is now accepting petition from Nepali students who have complains against the new immigration rules enforced by the United Kingdom in February.

Nepali students, who have become victims of the new rules, have been demanding a review of the rules. Sachin Shrestha, who created the e-petition, in an email said,

“We have started signing the electronic petition to draw

the attention of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on issues like student visa problems and working hours.”

Shrestha is the vice-president of worldwide Nepalese Students Organisation that initiated the move. “International students contribute over five billion pounds to the British economy every year but the new rules introduced by the UK Border Agency have undermined the students’ contributions,” said Shrestha.

According to the site, 83 individuals have already signed the petition.”The e-petitions service remains a vital tool for communicating your thoughts on things that matter to you and your communities. Conversation, after all, should be a two-way process,” PM Brown says about the petition. Anyone currently in the UK can sign the petition.

The petition of Nepalis students has drawn the attention of the PM to abrogate the rules and ensure right to work for all international students for up to 20 hours per week during the term time and full working hours for their dependents. It has also sought for transfer of students to other college without any financial burden, however, for students whose college’s sponsor license has been suspended or cancelled. As long as students have a valid visa the government should ensure congenial environment for the students and their dependents to live, study and work in the UK, the petition added.