Dear home office, we are not cash cows.

[sanfair]

What I find particularly infuriating is that it's all just a political exercise anyway to try satisfy those screaming about ' immigrants on benefits' and has nothing to do with reality or even what's best for the country.

All this will do is encourage fake passports and illegal immigration and penalise the people who are trying to do everything above board.

My (UK) husband and I (SA) have had enough and are planning on leaving for Australia. At least they're trying to encourage skilled workers. Sorry, Britain but you just lost two more to the 'brain drain'

[pantaiema]

I think this is the point they have missed. They fail to see the theory of comparative advantage from David Ricardo & Torrent. It will be better off for highly skilled migrant holding a highly paid job to work in their field and pay huge amount of taxes rather than doing voluntary work.

Also, is the voluntary sector are ready to accept an influx of people will be working gin this field. ??. AT least for this need resources to manage it.

Are they expecting that the highly paid worker to leave their job/business and work as street cleaner? Or working in Oxfam as shop waitress? There are a lot of school leaver, student wan to gain to work in Oxfam, etc to gain experience to work to employment work

I suppose this means on top of being a productive immigrant, i.e. holding a well-paying job, paying taxes, etc. you also need to do voluntary work. Forget that leisure time, folks! Get 'active'!

Jeez, the whole thing looks like something cooked up at a pub over a drink...

Green paper indeed...perhaps belongs in a loo?

[aaa123]

HAVE THEY ALSO MADE PROCESS OF GETTING WORK PERMIT DIFFICULT......I THINK NOT !!!!!! I AM WAITING FOR ONE!!!!!

ANOTHER THING!!! THINGS ARE GETTING TOUGHER FOR ASIAN AND AFRICAN CITIZENS MORE THAN OTHER CITIZINS.................I THINK SOME CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE LAUNCHED TO CHALLENGE SUCH BELLIGERENT STEPS TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS SPECIALLY THE HIGHLY SKILLED ONES LIKE US!!!!!!

[jamalkhan]

How long will it take for a Spouse of UK Citizen to Natuarlise now

[Emma84]

This compulsory voluntary service is an oxymoron in my mind. Somewhere between working long hours as highly skilled, high tax paying migrants, you will have to use any leisure time you would normally hope to spend with your family or unwinding doing voluntary work. I have no problem with rewarding those who volunteer but making it compulsory is ignoring the reality of what the working life of many highly skilled person involves.

I think this about sums up my feeling pretty well. I pay my taxes like everyone else, meaning I pay towards the services I use like the NHS. Plus I don't think it's fair for the government to come down on people like me to deal with the 'immigrants on benefits' issue. I am not and never have been on benefits as long as I've lived, so how come I'm being punished?

[Administrator]

.

@ Wanderer:

At the risk of encouraging you ...

(un)Holy Shyte!! Those are two or three of the most ph#kkin' hilarious posts I've seen in any forum in a month!

I'll still ban you in a heartbeat if you eat any (more) newbies, but I'm LOL'ing!!!


Regarding :

probationary citizens' and 'actively contributing' to the community

It'll be interesting to see when these exact same standards are applied to vermin who are by accident born on that dry spot between Ireland and France.

Won't there be a bit of screaming then, I should imagine ...

the Admin

[ashishashah]

I give up..I will work till i keep getting FLR..When i feel that i cannot go any more i will leave this country..

Really doesnt make any sense to go through this now as rules would have changed by the time i reach ILR/what ever it would be called..

I will think about these rules in 2012 (and i am sure rules would have changed by then!!!)

Ashish

[martin001]

How long will it take for a Spouse of UK Citizen to Natuarlise now

2 years then probationary citizenship for minimum of 1 year. What i'd like to know is what does someone have to do in that 1 year in order to qualify. Would they even have time to work?

[SYH]

The biggest joke in these new changes is this bit about 'probationary citizens' and how by 'actively contributing' to the community, people under this category can expect to become 'full citizens' in a 'minimum of 1 year'

It is crap, just utter crap
cmon now, this being a good citizen can not be accurately assessed. What activity do they have in mind. It is just stupid. How is that helping you to be British, if the British don't do it.
I barely have time to do my own job, let alone doing active community service. They have lost their mind. Most of the time, people don't want to give me a job because I am not Brit, who the heck is going to offer these wonderful community jobs and report to the HO, then the reporters have this power over you to mess you up if they want you to stuff you are not interested in doing. It is so ridiculous., most hare brained, half cooked idea that has ever been concocted

[global gypsy]

I can bet the HO guys were smoking something really weird (and strong) when they drafted this so-called green document.

Top 10 things HO will come up with next <drum roll>:
10. If you leave your dog's poo in the park, then you will have to wait for another 10 years before you can even think of applying for Probationary status
9. If you don't smile at everyone when you enter the tube (remember, we have CCTVs everywhere!), that shows you are not friendly, hence you will to have to wait for another 10 years...etc.
8. If you munch on popcorn at the movies, that shows you are not very considerate, hence you wait... etc.
7. If you don't tip the waiter at the restaurant, that means you don't care about Brit citizens (even though the guy may be Polish!), hence you wait...etc.
6. If you don't flush twice after you have used the loo at a public place, that means you are anti-social, hence you wait...etc.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

...you get the picture
Feel free to fill them in.

GG

[alientrader]

if they want to change the rules to make it crazy difficult for immigration so be it, but it cannot and should not be retrospective at all. This does nothing to instill confidence in migrants who have come here in good faith. now we dont know whether we should buy property, worry about our children's education, bringing our family over,etc,etc.....
if we knew abt all these uncertainty in the first place, many of us would not have come as we had a stable lifestyle back home.

Australia changed their rules to make one wait longer for citizenship..but it was not retrospective....

USA planning to use merit-based system for its immigration, but congress has said even if it passes, old migrants will not be affected as they will be judged under old rules....

But i guess that why UK is a uniquely first-world country.

[pantaiema]

They are politicians, not economist. I am not economist as well but I learn this issue. From the economist point of view Applying comparative advantage (David Ricardo & Robert Torrent), It will be the best UK economics interest if the highly skilled migrant holding a highly paid job to work in their field and pay huge amount of taxes rather than doing voluntary work. The brief description of this theory could be found in the following linked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage

Are they expecting that the highly paid worker to leave their job/business and work as street cleaner? Or working in Oxfam as shop waitress?

Are they expecting business people on HSMP who are making profit hundred of grand a year to leave their jobs for a view days a week to work in elderly house or orphanage???

Think about how much revenue/salary will they loose, which in turn will be reflected with less tax will be received by HMRC.

There is a lot of school leaver, student wan to gain initial experience to move to real job by doing voluntary work in Oxfam, etc.

Also, is the voluntary sector ready to accept an influx of people will be working gin this field. ??. At least for these need resources to manage it, is not it.

The biggest joke in these new changes is this bit about 'probationary citizens' and how by 'actively contributing' to the community, people under this category can expect to become 'full citizens' in a 'minimum of 1 year'

It is crap, just utter crap
cmon now, this being a good citizen can not be accurately assessed. What activity do they have in mind. It is just stupid. How is that helping you to be British, if the British don't do it.
I barely have time to do my own job, let alone doing active community service. They have lost their mind. Most of the time, people don't want to give me a job because I am not Brit, who the heck is going to offer these wonderful community jobs and report to the HO, then the reporters have this power over you to mess you up if they want you to stuff you are not interested in doing. It is so ridiculous., most hare brained, half cooked idea that has ever been concocted

[thsths]

You msut clean the homes of chavs for 12 hours before they allow u citizenship

Now that you mention it... when I read the press statement, I though that "involvement in the community" might mean binge drinking with your mates. That would be a tough choice, hm?

Tom

[karupalli]

Dont worry friends..

We are starging new company www.voluntarywork-for-ilr.com. This works like this
1. You pay us money.
2. We do the voluntary work behalf of you and give you a certificate.

cheers...

[Confused!]

I think this is the point they have missed. They fail to see the theory of comparative advantage from David Ricardo & Torrent. It will be better off for highly skilled migrant holding a highly paid job to work in their field and pay huge amount of taxes rather than doing voluntary work.

Plus making it compulsory for them to do voluntary work will take away the time they have to do shopping and contribute even more to the UK government's coffers through VAT etc.

Also, how does the concept of 'probationary citizen' work? Is it a citizenship or not? It can have a serious ramification for those from countries that do not permit dual citizenship - what happens if the person has to give up his original citizenship and then the UK plc decides 'oh let's change the rule, let's scrap probationary citizenship and put them back on ILR' - the person could be left stateless?

[aboudi]

It is a bit confusing though because the paper says being a permanent resident comes after being a probationary citizen for 1 year... i think their playing with words here.

[JAJ]

Also, how does the concept of 'probationary citizen' work? Is it a citizenship or not? It can have a serious ramification for those from countries that do not permit dual citizenship - what happens if the person has to give up his original citizenship and then the UK plc decides 'oh let's change the rule, let's scrap probationary citizenship and put them back on ILR' - the person could be left stateless?

It's fairly safe to say that when they talk about "probationary citizenship" they do not mean citizenship.

Instead they mean a form of temporary residence, albeit one with pathway towards either citizenship or permanent residence.

It is poor terminology.

[SKUK]

Couldn't help but think of the various reasons that could have triggered this "EUREKA EUREKA" idea......

Make the highly skilled migrants and work permit holders do voluntary work like plumbing, cleaning streets, DIY, electrical fitting, construction work, cook for prisoners, look after the elderly etc etc in the name of gaining PR..once they get comfortable doing these jobs, in fact become experts at it, get the semi and low skilled migrants out of the country now that they won't be required anymore ???

Killing two birds with one stone ??????

[sunnyday]

the increase in cost of visa is to accommodate the rise in cost of public services and health services following the surge in the number of immigrants.

thats what the ministers say.

and by the way,

anyone know when the citizenship thing is going to be implemented? (increase from 1 year to x years)

[Christophe]

and by the way,

anyone know when the citizenship thing is going to be implemented? (increase from 1 year to x years)

It's only a green paper at the moment, up for discussion. It may not happen, and if there are changes they may not be as proposed at the moment. Any changes would be months away at the least.

[global gypsy]

Yes, it's only a green paper now, but if it's not challenged, then it will become a bill and the law soon.
Please see here:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=23875

[aboudi]

soon cant be before this time next year.....

[global gypsy]

soon cant be before this time next year.....

maybe, but that's soon enough to affect lots of people on this forum.

Besides, the deadline for receiving feedback on the Green paper is May this year, and the timeline for these changes to be implemented is around October this year.

[runie80]

I think labour or "New labour" knows that immigration is going to be a "hot issue" come election time next year.They are positioning them self for that.

The conservatives have very aggressive policies about immigration which seems to be becoming popular in public.
(details can be found through google and BBC parliament)

If conservatives come in power then "immigration" will be a very different ball game.They are purposing a very radical reform.

I think we should not forget that UK has elections coming next year or in 2010 and which party wins the election will affect all immigrants.

This green paper is more like a political stunt.


Thats my opinion

[heretic]

Australia has a much fairer system. It was always points based and never let it self be a target of illegal immigrants. It has respect for the economic migrant - which UK is learning now.

But as the PM (un-elect) needs some ratings he and his cronies are squeezing the easiest target - us. No one is talking about the numbers of illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers here in the UK. Well at least the government wont as they don't have a clue.

I don't disagree to the government changing the rules...but changing it retrospectively every 2 years. It is really unbelievable........