Infographic - International students in the U.S. for year 2012/13

The Institute of International Education had revealed in a a new report that a record number of 819,644 international students are studying and being enrolled in a U. S. college or university for the last year.

Source: "Institute of International Education (2013). Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors"

Related stories:
Top 10 USA colleges and universities
Australia - the most expensive country for international study
Top 10 things to know about studying abroad in Canada

HMRC to look after the unpaid interns

Good news for every young person involved in internship in the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is enforcing some new measures targeting employers who do not pay the national minimum wage to internships according to the country regulations.

The written warning should be sent to businesses that have ads for unpaid internships, it is reported that such advertisement exists for 200 companies. The penalty is £5,000, of course - if it is confirmed that they are really breaking the law. Currently, the national minimum wage is £6.31 per hour for people 21 and over years old.

Jo Swinson, minister from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills said: "Already, this year HMRC has issued penalties to 466 employers. We will continue to work closely with HMRC to clamp down on rogue employers."

As usual, it should take time for this campaign to work out as intended. The current state of having so many employers, some of them big, is forcing people to work for nothing. This is why the Government is also planning to launch a national campaign in the near future about the employment rights of the students and internships.

Related story: HMRC’s personal tax returns has increased with 40%.

Top 10 things to know about studying abroad in Canada

Studying in Canada sounds like a deal for you? But before you decide to jump into that experience, here are the top 10 things every international student should know.



1. Multicultural and peaceful
For those who have decided to study in Canada, the multicultural environment will definitely help them to settle in fast and feel almost like at home in no time. The people there are used to meeting different cultures and are friendly to them. The same can be said for the foreign student who will be meeting so many ethnic groups at one place.

2. First-rate educational system with worldwide recognition
Having a Canadian diploma or degree is recognized as equal and comparative to those from Germany, USA and the United Kingdom. The country pays a lot of attention to its educational system and constantly develops it to keep it competitive. Interesting fact is that Canada spends more for education as a percentage of GNP (Gross National Product) than the rest of the G-8 countries.

3. A lot of opportunities for work
Students may qualify for the on-campus, off-campus or post graduate work permit programs during their studies. After they receive their degree or diploma, they are eligible to work in Canada. In other hand, the job opportunities based on your occupation are almost limitless.

4. One of the best in terms of quality of life
The people living in Canada enjoy a quality of life that is considered one of the best worldwide. For 2012, the United Nations has ranked Canada on 11th place in terms of Human Development Index. The country earned high marks for its open access to education, long life expectancy and low crime rates.

5. A good price
Unlike Australia, which is the most expensive country for international study, Canada is doing pretty well there with not so high cost of living and various fees. More information about the costs are available on Education au/in Canada website.

6. Beautiful nature and big cosmopolitan cities
Canada's natural beauty is recognized by everyone. It has it all - lakes, forests, glaciers, coastal mountains, golden beaches and a lot more. Also, for the fans of the city life the country can offer well developed multicultural cosmopolitan cities that are clean and safe!

7. Innovations and IT
Being an international leader in computer and information technologies, Canada also has a great reputation in sectors like engineering, business, communications, medicine, transportation, fine arts and design.

8. A lot of schools to choose from
Canada is offering a really wide choice of over 150 colleges, technical institutes and 98 universities featuring every program you could ever desire. This is making the final decision what to study even more hard, but having all those options is a good thing, right?

9. Never alone
As reported by the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada, the number of international university students for 2010 is 116 890. This will make it easy to make friends from all around the world and, who knows, even from your home country.

10. Stable and growing economy
No doubt, it is easier for students to succeed when they are involved in an economy that is stable and growing. This helps developing a healthy environment in every sector of possible future employment of the foreigner.

Also, you can check the Canadian University Application Centre (CUAC) which is available in several languages and offers a lot useful information and services for those who are interested.

After the Shutdown, the new tax season starts late

There are plans to delay the new tax-filling season with a week or two because of the government shutdown - this was revealed by the Internal Revenue Service in official statement. The final decision will be made in December, but for now the plans are to start accepting returns between 28th of January and 4th of February 2014.

Note that this tax season also included a delay – from 22th of January to 30th or 8 days altogether, so it might come out to be a second year in a row with delayed start.

The acting commissioner from IRS, Mr. Daniel I. Werfel said that “Readying our systems to handle the tax season is an intricate, detailed process, and we must take the time to get it right.” There won't be any changes about the filing deadline for your tax returns from 2013, it will be as usual April 15th.

HMRC’s personal tax returns has increased with 40%

As reported by the UHY Hacker Young Group, a UK chartered accountant company, HM Revenue & Customs, following investigations into personal tax returns, increased the amount of collected tax compared to the last year. The result for year 2012-2013 is £609m which is almost 40% more compared to the year before - £441m.



The credit for this increase probably should go to the so called “Affluent Team” which currently has more than 300 inspectors, based in 17 teams in six locations across the UK. The Affluent team targets wealthy people who habitually use avoidance schemes, have a low effective Rate of Tax across their total income, have UK and offshore property portfolios avoid or evade Stamp Duty on property purchases, fail to file their Self Assessment return on time and have bank accounts in Switzerland who appear to be understating their tax liability.

 

 

According to UHY Hacker Young, for 2015, it is expected to recover around £586m in unpaid taxes.

Worked in the United Kingdom? Why not apply for a tax refund with us to get your taxes back!

Top 10 USA colleges and universities when it comes to financial aid for international students

It is not a secret that to study at a university or college in USA, is a dream for a lot of international students. In order to do so, though, involves paying the various fees for tuition in their full size. Add to this the money to be spent for housing and living costs and it is definitely not a small investment.

A recent report, prepared by US News & World Report reveals the top 10 universities/colleges in term of giving the most financial aid to international students. The chart is composed using such educational institutions that are giving aid to at least 50 students for the 2012-2013 school year.

It is to be noted that getting the scholarship is not guaranteed. For example, the University of Chicago, which tops the chart with average aid awarded to international undergraduates of near $56,500, in fact had only 57 students that received the help or totally 11% of all of the international undergraduates.

Here is the list of the top 10 universities/colleges. As you can see, the left row shows the rank given by U.S. News and the applicable category:

The immigration reform – backed by college presidents

While the heated discussion about the immigration reform in the USA is currently ongoing, organizations supporting the bill are trying to speak their voice and concern about it being stalled in Congress because of the redirected attention to the situation in Syria.

 

Recently, it is reported that a letter was send to the congressional delegation from Florida, written and signed by college presidents and education leaders. It singles out that more than half of the students reaching advanced degrees in mathematics and science are composed by foreign students on, for example, F-1 or M-1 visas. It makes sense that those intelligent and now educated individuals to be tempted to remain in the country after they complete their education – contributing to the whole economy and driving it forward.

 

  

It is to be noted that a lot of protests are being planned all over the United States to back the immigration reform.

Did you worked in the United States? Why not apply for a tax refund with us to get your taxes back!