raxs1983 wrote:Okies, I thank all for their respective efforts and suggestion. With help from fellow members and a good lawyer friend of mine, here is what I vote to go live for petition by Tuesday 30/11/2010. I don't think there are many people who are aware of these possible changes. We need minimum of 500 LEGIT signatures for petition to be heard by No 10. So please guys spread the word, get you friends to join FB campaign, I only see 25 people thus far.. We need 500 at least and than all of them to sign it. I do not think below needs any major rewordings (simply because I have merged two or perhaps 3 different letters posted in here), but again suggestions are welcome Again, if we all here are agreed to 500 Signatures within 10 days of going live, I will publish it soon, or may be if someone else would like to do it, please feel free to volunteer After all, its collective effort and for benefit for all
Dear Home Secretary,
We, the undersigned are writing to express our views and concerns about closure of Tier1 (General) route and the lack of information about its impact on existing Tier 1 Visa holders who are already onshore in the United Kingdom. This petition is a collective appeal from existing Tier 1 visa holders as we are seriously concerned about any upcoming changes for those already in the UK.
It comes clear from the speech by the home secretary, that the Home Office is determined to fully reform the existing immigration system and a key part of this change is to completely abolish the Tier 1 general route from April 2011. But we would like to hereby insist that the efforts and sacrifices of existing Tier 1 holders must not be taken casually and we must not be used as scapegoats for political gains.
We are well educated and highly skilled economic migrants who have always remained on the right side of the law. We have not forced our way into the UK nor usurped the host country through deception. Our positive contributions in economical and technological terms are already acknowledged by the MAC, local businesses, think-tanks, Universities and various other public bodies including that off National Health Services (NHS).
We would like to highlight to the Home Office that most of us have sacrificed our old life in our native countries by leaving our homes, our families, our friends and our jobs and have moved to the United Kingdom with the intention of making it our new home. Many of us have dependants with us, have taken mortgages, employed in legitimate jobs, made new friends, send children to school etc. Now there might be a minority of Tier 1 arrivals that have failed to find skilled work during this recession and may have been forced to do odd jobs to support their families, but, note that they are still not breaking any visa conditions. We believe that punishing the vast majority the bad fortune of the minority that have not been able to establish a career here is not justice.
Also, please note that all of us had flourishing careers back in our native countries (as we couldn't have met the entry criteria to U.K. without proving this with verifiable evidence). We have indeed taken considerable risks by placing our fate in the hands of Home Office with a belief that we will be valued and treated fairly, clearly the expectation was that we will be offered a route to settlement just like it was given to all others before us.
In absence of a positive announcement there is feeling of confusion and uncertainty amongst us with a perception that all our efforts may have gone astray if deterrents get place on the path of Tier 1 extensions and settlement for existing visa holders. While being adversely affected by lack of information for the existing TIER 1 visa holders in the UK, it has also put us all in elevated state of anxiety adding insult to an injury.
Believing in values such as fairness and justice, which the UK has practiced (or perhaps invented) for a long time, we request for an unambiguous assurance that no changes will be made to the extension and settlement criteria for existing Tier1 (General) migrants. Any deterrent to extension and settlement would mean a confirmation that the UK has indeed undermined the legitimacy, importance, positive contributions and sacrifices that we have made so far. Thus, being pushed back to the proverbial square-one, we would then have to start an emotional, stressful and a risky process of rebuilding our lives elsewhere.
There are several roots and reasons for us to love the UK and be thankful for it. Though there are key challenges, we remain open for meaningful integration. Being British is an emotional aspect that cannot be captured by immigration status or race. We are continuously demonstrating that we are earning our right to be settled – just like the way you intended us to be. Putting us in the same basket with those who are less committed to the UK is unfair and perhaps unjustifiable.
And above all, we love living in the U.K. and are thankful for the opportunity granted to us by the British government. We are committed for keep making positive contributions towards making a better future for Britain. We would therefore request that existing legitimate Tier 1 Visa holders should be allowed to extend their stay and settle in the United Kingdom in consistence with the existing rules. We believe that you will understand and acknowledge our sensitive situation and reciprocate it with a statement clarifying your position about us.
Respectfully,
Tier 1 Visa Holders currently in UK
P E R F E C T !!!!
thank you all for your efforts and getting us so far....