HIGH INCOME
CRITERIA MAKES LIFE IN THE UK
TOUGHER FOR SKILLED MIGRANTS
TOUGHER FOR SKILLED MIGRANTS
Dt - 01/03/12
HSMP Forum's Press Release
It is no longer
enough to be law abiding citizens and responsible tax payers at
least as far as skilled migrants in the UK are concerned.
Tightening the
noose further around the migrant’s lives, the UK’s coalition
government has recently announced that skilled migrants will
have to show earnings of £35,000 in order to qualify for settlement
in the UK.
Not only do the
migrants have to prove their capabilities as diligent workers and
conscientious citizens, but also earn higher salaries in order to
win settlement rights in the country. At the time when majority of
the UK population is affected by either pay cuts or job
losses, such an income criteria squeezes out the remaining air of
stability in the shaky economic lives of the migrants.
Settlement should not be a right of the wealthy few.
It is high time that these
morally
bankrupt politicians stopped preaching lessons on morality
and human rights to the developing countries and turned its
attention on the migrants who come to UK by ensuring them a fair and
a reasonable chance of making a home in the UK irrespective of their
class of earnings.
On one hand, the
government wishes for immigrants to add to quality of life in
Britain but shuts the door on those best placed to achieve that by
restricting / almost abolishing tier 1. If that were not enough, it
is planning to make matters worse for the fortunate few who managed
to get past the settlement application, the fee for tier 1 migrants
application is expected to go up by 50%
from £1,000 to £ 1,500 with dependents being charged 50% of the
main applicant’s fees.
Executive director of HSMP
forum, Amit Kapadia said, “It is well known that skilled
migrants from non-European countries cannot live off benefits as
they do not need to and also they are not allowed to access public
funds. If the government’s proposed plans go ahead then, it would
also mean that professionals such as teachers, nurses, chefs who
earn below a salary of £ 35,000 would need to leave Britain after
working and paying taxes for 5 years. We are concerned that the
government’s proposed plans
will not only lead to human rights abuses, litigations,
enormous waste of tax payers’ money but in addition will have a
severe impact on public services and UK businesses.
The government only wants wealthy people as its citizens. How is
that fair?
The
politicians seem to be busy waging petty wars in the name of
immigration with both labour and conservatives crying hoarse over
immigration. Draconian changes in fees and settlement criteria are
prejudicial. At a time when the government should be concentrating
on getting the country out of recession, it is instead trying to
digress by projecting immigration as the main issue.
It should get its priorities right instead of making life miserable
for the migrants.”
Notes for editors:
Phone # 07830374629 /
02087516130
"HSMP Forum" is a not-for-profit
campaigning organisation and bears its origins to
the UK's Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, which was introduced in
2002.
It was formed after the 2006 decision by Government to apply new
qualifying criteria for existing Highly Skilled Migrants. "HSMP
Forum" has been lobbying the legislature, executive and the
judiciary by challenging unfair policies to Skilled Migrants to work
and settle in the UK. The organisation's aim is to support and
assist migrants under the world-renowned British principles of fair
play, equality and justice and believes in challenging any unfair
policies, which undermine the migrants’ interests.