A petition calling for the removal of the new £35,000 threshold for non-EU migrants to remain in the UK has received just over 87,000 signatures, but needs to reach 100,000 for the petition to be considered for debate in Parliament.
The debate is critical for the future of our economy, our industries, and our competitive position in the world. On Wednesday 20th January, Parliament announced that from 6 April 2016, ‘some skilled non-EEA workers with Tier 2 visas will only be eligible to stay in the UK permanently if they are earning at least £35,000.’
Although some workers will be exempt, all affected workers must demonstrate that their salaries are £35,000 per year, or the appropriate pay according to the relevant occupational code of practice should that be higher. Those unable to prove this will not be welcome in the UK for any longer than six years, and will not be able to apply for another visa until after a yearoutside of the UK, known as a ‘cooling off’ period.
The Parliament announcement says ‘A Home Office Impact Assessment conducted in 2012 estimated that around 16% of Tier 2 migrants would no longer qualify for permanent settlement due to the salary threshold. It recognised that certain occupations, notably nurses and IT and software professionals, were significantly more affected than others.’
The policy has been called ‘discriminatory’ as it is the first time the UK government has determined the right to remain in the UK by means of finance. It also clearly disadvantages low earners, and employers who cannot afford to pay the application or salary costs for retaining such valuable talent. Theresa May has said that the policy is to ensure ‘only the brightest and best remain permanently’, however any graduate coming from the arts and social sciences will immediately flag up that many students expect to earn significantly lower salaries.
This concerning news was brought home fairly quickly as the story of Paul Hamilton, an American PhD graduate of the University of Birmingham, circulated on social media. He was recently detained after being refused permission to remain in the UK to work as a researcher. Without any warning of rejection, Immigration Officials knocked on his home front door to arrest him. Bail was set at £2,000. The story, as told by Hamilton and those who know him (i.e. his university PhD supervisor), describe a man of talent who had genuinely intended to leave the UK had his application been rejected. More importantly, it demonstrates how a very unwelcoming and intolerant environment is unfolding.