UK opens its doors to exceptionally talented migrants

Migrants Watch UK is bringing to your notice another update from the UK Border Agency.

"The government has today announced the way that it will encourage exceptionally talented leaders in the fields of science, humanities, engineering and the arts to come to the UK.

The new Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) category will open on 9 August 2011.

This new category will facilitate not only those who have already been recognised but also those with the potential to be recognised as leaders in their respective fields. There is a limit of 1,000 places in the first year of operation. There will be 500 places available between the 9 August and 30 November and a further 500 places available from the 1 December to 31 March 2012. The number of places will be reviewed at the end of March 2012.

• Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) will be overseen by world-renowned 'competent bodies', which will advise the UK Border Agency on these 'exceptionally talented' migrants to ensure that they are the brightest and best in their field:

• The Royal Society, a fellowship of the world's most eminent scientists, will be able to nominate up to 300 places;

• Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts, will also be able to nominate up to 300 places;

• The Royal Academy of Engineering, Britain’s national academy for engineering, will have up to 200 places to nominate; and

• The British Academy, the national academy for the humanities and social sciences will be able to nominate up to 200 places.

Immigration Minister Damian Green said:
'The UK is a global leader in science, humanities and engineering and we are a cultural centre for the arts: we will continue to welcome those who have the most to offer and contribute to our society and economy.

'Our new exceptional talent route, available for up to 1,000 applicants, will ensure that we continue to attract the brightest into the UK and keep the UK a global leader.
'This comes at a time of major reform of the immigration system to bring net migration back down to the tens of thousands, tackle abuses and make sure that the immigration system meets the needs of the country.'

Migrants seeking entry to the UK under Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) will not need to be sponsored by an employer, but will need to be recommended by one of the competent bodies.

Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said:

'We welcome the launch of this special visa scheme, which will enable the very best artists of international standing to live and work in the UK.

'The international exchange of artists enriches their art, and I’m sure audiences will welcome the opportunity to experience the finest artistic talent from across the world.'

It will be for each competent body to select those who will qualify for recommendation, and we have also published the criteria for their endorsement.

The President of the British Academy, Sir Adam Roberts, said:

'The Humanities and Social Sciences are flourishing in the UK and attract many excellent scholars from overseas. 

'The British Academy is ready to play its part in identifying those outstanding scholars for whom Tier 1 is the appropriate visa category.'

While the government has allotted a number of places to each body, it will be open to the bodies to transfer additional places to those with more demand if this becomes necessary.

The President of the Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, said:

'The UK is a global leader in science because we can attract the best minds from around the world to work with our own home-grown talent. 

'The government has listened to the science community’s concerns about jeopardising our international leadership by restricting the immigration of scientists and the Royal Society will play its part in ensuring that the very best international talent can continue to come to the UK to work.'

Those admitted under Tier 1 (Exceptional talent) category will initially be granted permission to stay for 3 years and 4 months. They will then be able to extend their stay for a further 2 years, and settlement may be available after 5 years’ residence in the UK.

President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Sir John Parker FREng, said:

'In order to safeguard the UK's future competitiveness, we must ensure that it remains an attractive destination for world class engineers.

'I am confident that this new visa route will help to encourage global excellence to come to the UK.'"

Re: New Immigration Family Proposals

Last week Migrants Watch UK (MWUK) brought to your notice the new proposal on Family Migration being considered by the government.

It claims it is still consulting on the new proposal but on close scrutiny MWUK thinks that the new proposal bears no good news to Migrants therefore are now calling on well meaning people of this country especially Migrants to take a stand to oppose it, as failing to do so, might well become a reality.

Some of the problematic areas of the new proposals are:

Spouses

• The introduction of a specific minimum income requirement (for maintenance purposes) for British and settled sponsors to bring family members over;
• An extension of the probationary period for spouses from the current 2 years to 5 years;
• Pushing up the language level requirements for settlement purposes from A1 to B1 level; The possibility of a requirements to take out medical insurance for certain family members;

Other Family Members

• The ending of indefinite leave to enter for adult dependants and dependants aged 65 or over ……;
• The introduction of pre-entry language requirements for dependants aged 16 or 17, or aged under 65 (level A1 standard);
• Introducing changes to the length of leave granted to 17 year old dependants nearing their 18^th birthday;
• The introduction of more exacting settlement language requirements at B1 level for the above groups

Family Visit Visas

• Limiting the grounds of appeal in relation to family visit visa decisions only in ECHR/Race discrimination Cases;

Article 8 ECHR

• Seeking views on the balance between the right to private and family life and the public interest.

These are areas that calls for serious concern and needs all well meaning people to lend their voices and opinions to the consultation to ensure that government do a serious rethink on these matters.

We are all aware that this government came into the saddle last year claiming it values family life yet barely a year into its tenure; it is now trying to muscle into law a policy that is surely going to disintegrate the same family values it claims to cherish. It just doesn’t add up.

You will all recall that this same government brought in the “English Test Requirements” for families seeking to join their spouses in the UK. This English Test for Spouse Visas became law on 29^th November 2010.

Since this policy came into effect, we have read countless stories of many families that have been denied the opportunity to join their spouses and live together as a family unit because of this policy.

The sad aspect of this policy is that it affects people from English speaking and non-English speaking countries.

Migrants Watch UK is not arguing that people coming into the UK should not integrate or learn to speak English but believes that the best place to learn and improve one’s English is here in England and not in some remote village in Timbuktu or thereabout.

Many of these families have been separated for years whilst battling to regularise their status in the UK. Many of them fled their native countries fearing for their life. They fled leaving their wives and – in most cases – children who barely knew them at the time they departed in fear of their life. Came into the UK and spent years struggling to get status regularised. Many even spent months in detention awaiting decision on their cases. During this waiting period many are unable to work and forced to live off food vouchers offered by the government.

Some aspect of the Immigration rule gives confusing signals in that it sometimes does not just make sense.

For instance a Migrant granted Refugee Status has an automatic right to reunion with his/her family whilst another Migrant granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) has no such privilege.

The Migrant with Refugee Status is still subject to Immigration Control while the one with (ILR) is not, yet the former has an automatic right to family reunion while the latter hasn’t.

To make matters worse, the visa application fee for families of a Migrant granted (ILR) (with families in Nigeria, for example) is about N166000.00 (One hundred and Sixty Six Thousand Naira) per family member. If the Migrant has a family of 4, that means he/she has to pay around N664000.00 (non refundable) just to obtain visa for the family. By the time you add up costs of flight tickets etc., you know the rest.

I know of a Migrant who fled his country for fear of persecution because of his political views. He came into the UK and applied for Asylum. This Migrant was finally granted Indefinite Leave to Remain after 16 years of painful waiting game and separation from his dear family. This is despite the fact that he tried to do everything by the book, and even shunned the idea of marrying a citizen to short cut the system. During these 16 years of waiting, this Migrant got detained and denied bail despite his good intentions and the fact that he came into the UK with evidence of his partisan political activities and no criminal record. Needless to say that 2 years after being granted (ILR) (making it a total of 18 years of separation from his family) this Migrant still cannot afford to bring his family to join him in the UK – all because of the cost of visa application.

I very much doubt it if anyone in this Coalition government can stand being kept apart from their family for a day left alone for years as is the case with most Migrants.

We all know how top people in this government have tried to balance their work life in order to spend “quality” time with their family – all in the name of proving to everyone that they value family life.

This is the reason Migrants Watch UK is appealing to its readers to please respond to this consultation and let this Coalition government know how we all feel about this New Immigration Family proposal. 

Please bear it in mind that this consultation will close on 6^th October 2011. So get your response in NOW!!!

You can respond online to the consultation at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/family-migration-consult

Contact

Family Consultation
UK Border Agency

1st Floor Seacole

2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Email:  Familyconsultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Feedbacks: Readers are free to send feedbacks on topics discussed on Migrants Watch, their experience on immigration matter or topics they would like to appear on this page by emailing: migrantswatch@hotmail.co.uk

New Immigration Family Proposals by UKBA

The UK Border Agency has once again issued another statement on reforming routes for family migration.

This reform, according to the UK Border Agency, is still at a consultation stage but it calls for concern nonetheless. The consultation closes on 6^th October 2011.

Migrants Watch UK is reproducing hereunder an excerpt from the reform and would welcome comments from everyone on it.

“Spouses

• The introduction of a specific minimum income requirement (for maintenance  purposes) for British and settled sponsors to bring family members over – MAC is to advise on the level
• An extension of the probationary period for spouses so that they will wait five instead of two years before they are able to settle
• The introduction of a more specific definition of what constitutes ‘a genuine and continuing relationship”
• Pushing up the language level requirements for settlement purposes from A1 to B1 level
• Requiring the production of more substantial documentation to substantiate marriage applications
• Examining interview arrangements for sponsors
• The ending of the possibility of  immediate settlement for those who have been married for 4 years and are living abroad- it is proposed that such individuals will also have to complete a 5 year settlement period
• Restricting the ability of those sponsored as a spouse to sponsor another spouse or partner from within 5 years of settlement
• The possibility of a requirement to take out medical insurance for certain family members (the detail of this will be in a consultation by the Department of Health)
• Introduction of powers to delay marriages which are suspected of being ‘sham’ marriages and the introduction of sham ‘lawful impediment’ to marriage in England and Wales
• And greater work with the European Commission to address this
• Combining some functions of the registrar of the UK Border Agency and marriage registrars
• Legislating to make forced marriage a criminal offence

Other Family Members

• The introduction of a specific income threshold for sponsors of dependants for maintenance and accommodation – MAC is to advise on this
• The ending of indefinite leave to enter for adult dependants and dependants aged 65 or over and the introduction of a 5 year settlement period
• The introduction of a more exacting requirement for dependence in the case of parents/grandparents aged 65, and the possibility of increasing the age threshold
• The introduction of pre-entry language requirements for dependants aged 16 or 17, or aged under 65 (level A1 standard)
• Introducing changes to the length of leave granted to 17 year old dependants nearing their 18th birthday
• The introduction of more exacting settlement language requirements at B1 level for the above groups

PBS Family Members

• Increasing the probationary period from 2-5 years- with only time spent in the UK counting towards this
• The introduction of a higher B1 English language requirement for dependants who wish to settle in the UK

Family Visit Visas

• Limiting the grounds of appeal in relation to family visit visa decisions only in ECHR/race discrimination cases

Article 8 ECHR

• Opening up a discussion of the issues around Article 8 and immigration control
• Seeking views on the balance between the right to private and family life and the public interest”.

You can respond online to the consultation at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/family-migration-consult

Contact

Family Consultation
UK Border Agency

1st Floor Seacole

2 Marsham Street

London

SW1P 4DF

Email:  Familyconsultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Feedbacks: Readers are free to send feedbacks on topics discussed on Migrants Watch, their experience on immigration matter or topics they would like to appear on this page by emailing: migrantswatch@hotmail.co.uk

Changes to student visa rules are now in force

Significant changes to the Tier 4 student route of the points-based system which was published on this page a while ago have come into effect today.

The latest revisions follow the Home Secretary's statement to Parliament on 22 March 2011 about student visas.

Here is an excerpt from the statement from the UK Border Agency regarding the revised Immigration Rule.

“We have revised the Immigration Rules relating to Tier 4 in order to:

• Restrict work entitlements, by only allowing students sponsored by higher education institutions (HEIs) and publicly funded further education colleges to work part-time during term time and full-time during vacations;
• Restrict sponsorship of dependants to those of students sponsored by HEIs on postgraduate courses lasting 12 months or longer, and of government-sponsored students on courses lasting longer than 6 months;
• Require institutions to confirm that courses represent genuine academic progression from any previous courses studied by the student in the UK; and
• Create a streamlined application process for low-risk nationals sponsored by Highly Trusted sponsors.

These changes are aimed at delivering a strong migration system which tackles immigration abuse while allowing genuine students to study at genuine colleges.

We have also revised the application forms for Tier 4 (General), Tier 4 (child) and dependants under the points-based system. The new versions of these forms should be used with immediate effect.

The changes to the Immigration Rules were laid in Parliament on 13 June. A previous news story gives full details of all the changes and associated amendments that come into force today”.

Feedbacks: Readers are free to send feedbacks on topics discussed on Migrants Watch, their experience on immigration matter or topics they would like to appear on this page by emailing: migrantswatch@hotmail.co.uk