Hi Everyone,
Given today's announcement (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/0 ... ort-points), I've been thinking whether I made the right choice by switching from WP to Tier1 and what my options are now and for folks who are contemplating on the switch.
Brief background on me, I came to the UK back in May 2004 on working holiday. Half way through, UKBA changed the rules (and applied it retrospectively as usual) so that I could not do an in country switch to WP as my employer was willing to sponsor me. So I had to leave the UK in March 2006 and came back in June with a WP. As a side effect, I also missed the chance of qualifying for a 4 year ILR (assuming the WP forum wins), but such is life.
Fast forward to May 2009, after three years on WP, I decided to switch to Tier1, since I was getting a little bit nervous (maybe unnecessarily) because of the economic conditions and while I was in a very stable job working for a great company (a household name) thanks to the almighty, I thought I'd make the switch anyway, just in case something bad happens. So I applied and made the switch to Tier1 in May, 2009 (I'd like to thank everyone who helped me at that time with my questions regarding Tire1 in this forum).
Anyway, it seems that by switching to Tier1 in 2009, I've inadvertently fallen into the UKBA clause that says that when I'm eligible for ILR in May 2011, my terms and conditions for ILR will be according to the rules in place in 2011, not now! Which means, getting a citizenship in the UK might have just become (in fact unless something dramatic happens, it's a certainty) more time consuming :-/
Had I stayed under my WP, I could have got away with this (or so I think) since my application for ILR would have been under the old rules.
What do you guys think? Also, for those considering the switch from WP to Tier1, perhaps this is food for thought too?
Cheers.
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