AN Australian publisher has escaped deportation after the Home Office had a change of heart.

On Thursday, the Oxford Mail revealed that Vaarunika Dharmapala, 33, had been denied a visa under the Government’s new immigration cap, because she earns less than £36,000 a year.

But hours later the publisher received a call from a civil servant to say the original decision had been quashed.

Bosses at her Oxford firm, Raintree, have now received a certificate of sponsorship, allowing Ms Dharmapala to upgrade her work visa.

Last night, Ms Dharmapala, of Mere Road, Oxford, said she was delighted.

She said: “I feel numb right now. Staff at Nicola Blackwood’s office, my constituency MP, contacted the Home Office on my behalf and I later got the phone call telling me the good news.

“The intervention of the Oxford Mail really helped my case and I’m very grateful for all the coverage.

“It’s a brilliant result and I’m delighted I will be able to stay living and working in Oxford.”

In June, the new coalition Government unveiled plans for a cap on migrant workers, which are due to come into force in April.