Habib Rahman, Chief Executive of Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) said during the coming year the organisation will focus on campaigning against the Government’s restrictions on family migration.
Speaking at the JCWI’s AGM in London last night, Mr Rahman said the Immigration Rule changes, in particular the minimum £18,600 income requirement to bring in a non-EU spouse or partner, introduced by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in July were dividing families and hitting British.
Mr Rahman also referred to an article in yesterday’s Evening Standard "Tough New Visa Rules put Foreign Students off London”, where an unlikely ally Conservative London Mayor Boris Johnson called on Prime Minister David Cameron to remove students from net migration targets.
Speaking in India, Johnson accused the Government of causing “unnecessary alarm” with tough immigration rules, which have already resulted in a 9% fall in student visas, expected to rise to 25% next year.
Last week the outspoken London Mayor strongly criticised his own party’s target to slash net immigration, claiming that visa policies were preventing the City and universities from recruiting the brightest talent, and were “a block to growth”.
One of the guest speakers at the meeting was Emma Ben Moussa, a British bride of a Moroccan husband, who has just given birth to their first child nine weeks ago.
Emma tried to live in Morocco with her husband, but found the life hard and had no chance of finding well paid employment. She returned to her home in Kent this year during the middle of a complicated pregnancy, but could not return to her job as a store manager at WH Smith.
The couple found themselves caught in the £18,600 trap and even if she returned to work immediately she would not be able to show 6 months payslips required to sponsor him on a spouse visa. Her husband’s prospective income cannot be taken into account or the fact that she would be able to work full time if he could be here to look after the baby.
They obtained a visit visa after what Emma described as a very difficult experience dealing with the British Embassy in Casablanca, Morocco.
The JCWI are currently helping the couple to stay together in the UK and have submitted an “outside the Rules” application for further leave to remain. Should this be refused, her case will almost certainly go to appeal and could end up as a test case in the High Court.
The second speaker, Professor Eleonore Kofman of Middlesex University, highlighted the discriminatory nature of the new Rules, which will adversely affect 61% of women, double the rate of men, due to lower earnings.
Professor Kofman noted that it was not just the arbitrary £18,600 income requirement which was splitting families. Other restrictions contained in the Rules include not allowing a partner’s prospective earnings to be taken into account and length of time needed to prove income.
She said the UK was now the second hardest country to sponsor a spouse after Norway.
Raza Husein QC offered some hope pointing to two upcoming cases challenging the Rules in the Upper Tribunal and High Court early next year.
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP for Islington North, said the Rule changes were rushed through by the Executive without a vote or proper Parliamentary scrutiny.
He was disappointed that a “Negative Prayer” or objection laid down in Parliament was only signed by 7 MP’s.
Corbyn said it was easy for the Government to be “tough” on poor migrant families and reminded us that the UK was built on immigration and would be a “wet and insular little island” without it.
Referring to the London Metropolitan University’s licence revocation, which is in his constituency, he claimed that the UKBA had not acted rationally and had done spot checks on overseas students during the holidays.
The meeting ended with a lively question and answer session in which Habib Rahman defended JCWI’s record of campaigning against the UKBA’s onslaught on private colleges and international students.
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) is an independent national charity which campaigns for justice in UK immigration, nationality and refugee law and policy.
If you need any immigration advice or are worried about the new immigration rules or need help with Sponsorship or Tier 2, Tier 4, applying for university if your college has closed down, Visa, ILR, Settlement, Citizenship, Dependant Visa or an appeal against a UK Border Agency or British Embassy refusal, or if you have been waiting for a reply from the Home Office for longer than a year, please email: immigration@londonccs.com or visit www.conceptcaresolutions.com for free immigration news updates.
Showing posts with label JCWI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JCWI. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Non EU immigration consultation launched by Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) launched a consultation yesterday on the annual limit of the number of non-EU migrants admitted to work in the UK through Tiers 1 and 2 of the points based system, the UK Border Agency announced.
The government has asked the MAC, as an independent expert body on migration, to provide advice on the level of the permanent economic migration limit for its first full year of operation. The permanent limit is intended to be implemented from April 2011.
As well as the economic impacts, the MAC will take into account the social and public service impacts of immigration on the UK.
The consultation will be open for submissions until 7 September 2010, and the MAC advice will be presented to the government by the end of that month. A paper setting out the consultation questions and procedures for submitting evidence has been published today.
The Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, Professor David Metcalf, said:
'The Migration Advisory Committee is pleased that it has been asked to carry out this work and looks forward to working with its partners to develop robust and well-informed advice to the government.'
The consultation is running in parallel with the UK Border Agency's limits on non-EU economic migration which was announced on 28 June.
Businesses concerned about a cap on non-EU skilled migrants should take part in the consultation. This week a prominent business group warned that the Government-imposed limit on immigration could pose a risk to the UK recovery.
Government ministers such as the education secretary, Michael Gove, and the universities secretary, David Willetts, have privately warned last week that too rigid an immigration cap could hit Britain’s competitiveness and reputation among top overseas students. The business secretary, Vince Cable, voiced his concerns in public about a too-inflexible cap.
Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled a highly “business friendly” consultation paper earlier this week outlining how the new annual limit for skilled migrants – to be introduced from next April – might work.
A temporary cap to be imposed from July – to prevent a surge in applications ahead of the cap – includes such widespread exemptions that nearly half those who currently qualify for skilled worker visas will be exempt. The exemptions include multinational companies transferring staff and elite sports people, so new restrictions on the use of overseas players in football’s Premier League are ruled out.
Immigrant cap will ‘hit growth’ business tells UK Government
UK immigration cap Q&A – your questions answered
Home Office confirm UK migration limit
Immigration cap ‘would damage hospitality sector’ say REC
Home Secretary’s statement to the House of Commons on immigration cap
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
The government has asked the MAC, as an independent expert body on migration, to provide advice on the level of the permanent economic migration limit for its first full year of operation. The permanent limit is intended to be implemented from April 2011.
As well as the economic impacts, the MAC will take into account the social and public service impacts of immigration on the UK.
The consultation will be open for submissions until 7 September 2010, and the MAC advice will be presented to the government by the end of that month. A paper setting out the consultation questions and procedures for submitting evidence has been published today.
The Chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, Professor David Metcalf, said:
'The Migration Advisory Committee is pleased that it has been asked to carry out this work and looks forward to working with its partners to develop robust and well-informed advice to the government.'
The consultation is running in parallel with the UK Border Agency's limits on non-EU economic migration which was announced on 28 June.
Businesses concerned about a cap on non-EU skilled migrants should take part in the consultation. This week a prominent business group warned that the Government-imposed limit on immigration could pose a risk to the UK recovery.
Government ministers such as the education secretary, Michael Gove, and the universities secretary, David Willetts, have privately warned last week that too rigid an immigration cap could hit Britain’s competitiveness and reputation among top overseas students. The business secretary, Vince Cable, voiced his concerns in public about a too-inflexible cap.
Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled a highly “business friendly” consultation paper earlier this week outlining how the new annual limit for skilled migrants – to be introduced from next April – might work.
A temporary cap to be imposed from July – to prevent a surge in applications ahead of the cap – includes such widespread exemptions that nearly half those who currently qualify for skilled worker visas will be exempt. The exemptions include multinational companies transferring staff and elite sports people, so new restrictions on the use of overseas players in football’s Premier League are ruled out.
Immigrant cap will ‘hit growth’ business tells UK Government
UK immigration cap Q&A – your questions answered
Home Office confirm UK migration limit
Immigration cap ‘would damage hospitality sector’ say REC
Home Secretary’s statement to the House of Commons on immigration cap
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Immigration News Round up 27 June 2010
American Immigration – what will be the impact of increased processing fees?
The following article by analyzes the rising costs of US Immigration petitions and applications and how these increased fees may impact those who wish to bring a foreign loved one to the United States of America.
Points Based System appeal case succeeds
The appeal against the Home Office interpretation of the Points Based System has succeeded in the Court of Appeal. The case is Secretary of State for the Home Department v Pankina [2010] EWCA Civ 719. The question now is where this leaves the Home Office/UK Border Agency on the many Judicial Review cases it is defending against international colleges and English UK. FULL STORY
UKBA immigration officials are failing victims of domestic violence says leading Barrister
An article by leading immigration Barrister Colin Yeo for the Guardian.
Border Agency bust sham marriage – six arrested
The UK Border Agency reports that a bride and groom together with four wedding guests were arrested as part of an investigation into a suspected sham marriage.
Demographic shift ‘will cut UK growth’ according to ONS figures
Office for Budget Responsibility predicts curbs on immigration and costs of an ageing society will slow economy’s growth rate…
Canadian Government takes on rogue immigration consultants
People seeking help to emigrate to Canada are set to be better protected after the Canadian government announced new legislation to deal with fraudulent immigration consultants.
Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre expansion plans scrapped
Plans to double the size of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in north Bedfordshire have been scrapped.
American town bans renting property to illegal immigrants
American voters in Fremont Nebraska on Monday approved a ban on hiring or renting property to illegal immigrants, the latest proposal in a series of immigration regulations taken up by communities around the country.
Early day motion by MP’s in support of doomed RMJ
The JCWI has called for members to write to their MP’s to ask for support for the Early Day Motion to save the RMJ.
JCWI call for demo against Refugee and Migrant Justice closure
The Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants (JWCI) has issued a press release calling on the government to take urgent action to prevent the closure of Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ).
Overseas Filipino workers boost Philippine balance of payments
The Philippines balance of payments (BOP) surplus rose by almost a third in the first five months of the year, as more foreign exchange flowed in (from OFW’s) through loans against domestic currency used to pay the country’s debts.
Why the world wants to be Canadian
More than half of people around the world say they would abandon their homelands and emigrate to Canada if they could.
Filipino domestic workers struggle for justice and survival
ABS-CBN’s Niña Corpuz, the author of the article, “Filipino Domestic Workers: between justice and survival,” won the 2010 edition of the journalistic prize for the best story on labour rights, awarded by the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC-ILO), the training arm of the ILO.
See also:
Weekly Immigration News Round up 20 June 2010
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
For more information on how you can migrate to Canada - CLICK HERE
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
The following article by analyzes the rising costs of US Immigration petitions and applications and how these increased fees may impact those who wish to bring a foreign loved one to the United States of America.
Points Based System appeal case succeeds
The appeal against the Home Office interpretation of the Points Based System has succeeded in the Court of Appeal. The case is Secretary of State for the Home Department v Pankina [2010] EWCA Civ 719. The question now is where this leaves the Home Office/UK Border Agency on the many Judicial Review cases it is defending against international colleges and English UK. FULL STORY
UKBA immigration officials are failing victims of domestic violence says leading Barrister
An article by leading immigration Barrister Colin Yeo for the Guardian.
Border Agency bust sham marriage – six arrested
The UK Border Agency reports that a bride and groom together with four wedding guests were arrested as part of an investigation into a suspected sham marriage.
Demographic shift ‘will cut UK growth’ according to ONS figures
Office for Budget Responsibility predicts curbs on immigration and costs of an ageing society will slow economy’s growth rate…
Canadian Government takes on rogue immigration consultants
People seeking help to emigrate to Canada are set to be better protected after the Canadian government announced new legislation to deal with fraudulent immigration consultants.
Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre expansion plans scrapped
Plans to double the size of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in north Bedfordshire have been scrapped.
American town bans renting property to illegal immigrants
American voters in Fremont Nebraska on Monday approved a ban on hiring or renting property to illegal immigrants, the latest proposal in a series of immigration regulations taken up by communities around the country.
Early day motion by MP’s in support of doomed RMJ
The JCWI has called for members to write to their MP’s to ask for support for the Early Day Motion to save the RMJ.
JCWI call for demo against Refugee and Migrant Justice closure
The Joint Council for Welfare of Immigrants (JWCI) has issued a press release calling on the government to take urgent action to prevent the closure of Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ).
Overseas Filipino workers boost Philippine balance of payments
The Philippines balance of payments (BOP) surplus rose by almost a third in the first five months of the year, as more foreign exchange flowed in (from OFW’s) through loans against domestic currency used to pay the country’s debts.
Why the world wants to be Canadian
More than half of people around the world say they would abandon their homelands and emigrate to Canada if they could.
Filipino domestic workers struggle for justice and survival
ABS-CBN’s Niña Corpuz, the author of the article, “Filipino Domestic Workers: between justice and survival,” won the 2010 edition of the journalistic prize for the best story on labour rights, awarded by the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITC-ILO), the training arm of the ILO.
See also:
Weekly Immigration News Round up 20 June 2010
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
For more information on how you can migrate to Canada - CLICK HERE
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Canada takes on rogue immigration consultants
People seeking help to emigrate to Canada are set to be better protected after the Canadian government announced new legislation to deal with fraudulent immigration consultants.
Britons are among thousands exploited by the so-called crooked consultants, who are paid “extortionate amounts of money” by potential immigrants duped into believing they can guarantee them visas, for example, reduce the wait time for applications or claim to have connections in the Canadian immigration department who will expedite the process.
The national police force, the RCMP, and the Canada Border Services Agency are reportedly dealing with hundreds of current investigations into allegations against unscrupulous consultants across Canada. Around a quarter of a million people worldwide emigrate to Canada every year, while the number of immigrants settling from the UK has doubled in the past decade from approximately 4,500 in 1999 to 9,500 last year.
The Canadian government’s ‘Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act’ aims to close a loophole in the current legislation, which does not regulate any consultants’ involvement in the pre-application period. If passed, it would require all paid-for advice or representation be provided by an authorised immigration consultant, lawyer or notary only. It would also give the government power over the body governing immigration consultants “in order to ensure the integrity of the process”.
Jason Kenney, Canada’s minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism, said at an earlier conference that, while most immigration consultants working in Canada were professional and ethical, “the unfortunate reality is that many consultants are acting dishonestly or even illegally to profit from people’s dream of coming here.” He cited one case of an exorbitant fee of $90,000 (around £60,000) paid to a crooked consultant by an immigrating family. “These prospective immigrants often find out too late that they’ve been deceived,” Kenney added
While the legislation of course covers Canada only, the minister will be also encouraging foreign governments to tackle the problem of crooked consultants dealing with immigrants to Canada. Jason Kenney is in London next week to talk about these and other immigration issues with Home Secretary Theresa May and Immigration Minister Damian Green as part of the Five Country Conference, comprising the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
If anyone is defrauded by an immigration consultant in the UK, they are advised to file a complaint with the local police and inform the Canadian Embassy, said Kelli Fraser, media relations adviser for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
She pointed out that immigration fraud happens, of course, around the world not just in Canada, but added that it threatens the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. “It also raises security concerns, wastes tax dollars, adds to the processing time for legitimate applications, and it is unfair to those who do follow the rules,” she said.
For more information on immigration protection and potentially choosing an immigration consultant, log on to www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/index.asp
Canada is a growing country which needs skilled workers in a wide range of areas for instance from Care, Nursing and medical staff to catering and other trades. Unlike the UK, Canada is also open to immigrants who want to migrate there with a view to settle. Applicants must qualify under the Canadian points system.
UK based immigration consultants are regulated by the OISC, which has strict rules designed to protect migrants from exploitation. However, the rules do not extend to visa consultants operating abroad where the worst atrocities take place. Migrants coming to the UK have long been charged extortionate fees by unscrupulous unlicensed operators in their own country.
For more information on how you can migrate to Canada - CLICK HERE
See also:
American town bans renting property to illegal immigrants
US Green cards face fee hikes
The cost of obtaining a green card, business visa and other US immigration benefits will increase an average 10% under a proposal announced Wednesday by federal immigration officials.
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers
“How To Answer Any Question An Interviewer Could Possibly Throw At You! … “ Click Here!
Britons are among thousands exploited by the so-called crooked consultants, who are paid “extortionate amounts of money” by potential immigrants duped into believing they can guarantee them visas, for example, reduce the wait time for applications or claim to have connections in the Canadian immigration department who will expedite the process.
The national police force, the RCMP, and the Canada Border Services Agency are reportedly dealing with hundreds of current investigations into allegations against unscrupulous consultants across Canada. Around a quarter of a million people worldwide emigrate to Canada every year, while the number of immigrants settling from the UK has doubled in the past decade from approximately 4,500 in 1999 to 9,500 last year.
The Canadian government’s ‘Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act’ aims to close a loophole in the current legislation, which does not regulate any consultants’ involvement in the pre-application period. If passed, it would require all paid-for advice or representation be provided by an authorised immigration consultant, lawyer or notary only. It would also give the government power over the body governing immigration consultants “in order to ensure the integrity of the process”.
Jason Kenney, Canada’s minister of citizenship, immigration and multiculturalism, said at an earlier conference that, while most immigration consultants working in Canada were professional and ethical, “the unfortunate reality is that many consultants are acting dishonestly or even illegally to profit from people’s dream of coming here.” He cited one case of an exorbitant fee of $90,000 (around £60,000) paid to a crooked consultant by an immigrating family. “These prospective immigrants often find out too late that they’ve been deceived,” Kenney added
While the legislation of course covers Canada only, the minister will be also encouraging foreign governments to tackle the problem of crooked consultants dealing with immigrants to Canada. Jason Kenney is in London next week to talk about these and other immigration issues with Home Secretary Theresa May and Immigration Minister Damian Green as part of the Five Country Conference, comprising the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
If anyone is defrauded by an immigration consultant in the UK, they are advised to file a complaint with the local police and inform the Canadian Embassy, said Kelli Fraser, media relations adviser for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
She pointed out that immigration fraud happens, of course, around the world not just in Canada, but added that it threatens the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. “It also raises security concerns, wastes tax dollars, adds to the processing time for legitimate applications, and it is unfair to those who do follow the rules,” she said.
For more information on immigration protection and potentially choosing an immigration consultant, log on to www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/protection/index.asp
Canada is a growing country which needs skilled workers in a wide range of areas for instance from Care, Nursing and medical staff to catering and other trades. Unlike the UK, Canada is also open to immigrants who want to migrate there with a view to settle. Applicants must qualify under the Canadian points system.
UK based immigration consultants are regulated by the OISC, which has strict rules designed to protect migrants from exploitation. However, the rules do not extend to visa consultants operating abroad where the worst atrocities take place. Migrants coming to the UK have long been charged extortionate fees by unscrupulous unlicensed operators in their own country.
For more information on how you can migrate to Canada - CLICK HERE
See also:
American town bans renting property to illegal immigrants
US Green cards face fee hikes
The cost of obtaining a green card, business visa and other US immigration benefits will increase an average 10% under a proposal announced Wednesday by federal immigration officials.
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers
“How To Answer Any Question An Interviewer Could Possibly Throw At You! … “ Click Here!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Early day motion by MP's in support of doomed Refugee Migrant Justice (RMJ) group
The JCWI has called for members to write to their MP's to ask for support for the Early Day Motion to save the RMJ.
The JCWI press release in full
Please send over a quick e mail to your MP to support the save RMJ campaign and ask them to out their name to Early Day Motion 191 tabled by Caroline Lucas MP. This appears below
Early Day Motion - EDM 191
REFUGEE AND MIGRANT JUSTICE CHARITY
09.06.2010
Lucas, Caroline
That this House notes that the legal advice charity Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) is in danger of closing because it is facing a cash crisis because a large proportion of legal aid work is now paid upon completion, meaning payment can take anything up to two years; further notes that as a result the charity has a £1.8 million backlog of payments; further notes that senior legal and human rights experts, faith leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Citizens Advice, Liberty and Mind all back the campaign to rescue the legal advice charity from the cash crisis that is not of their own making; is aware that RMJ is not asking for new money but simply prompt payment of legal aid by the Legal Services Commission, or failing that, interest-free loans by the Government to cover the gap; and calls for the legal aid payment system to be changed to ensure charities are paid promptly for their work.
Signatures( 32)
Status
See also:
JCWI call for demo against Refugee and Migrant Justice closure
Justice Secretary defends government over Refugee and Migrant Justice collapse
Weekly Immigration News Round up 20 June 2010
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
The JCWI press release in full
Please send over a quick e mail to your MP to support the save RMJ campaign and ask them to out their name to Early Day Motion 191 tabled by Caroline Lucas MP. This appears below
Early Day Motion - EDM 191
REFUGEE AND MIGRANT JUSTICE CHARITY
09.06.2010
Lucas, Caroline
That this House notes that the legal advice charity Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) is in danger of closing because it is facing a cash crisis because a large proportion of legal aid work is now paid upon completion, meaning payment can take anything up to two years; further notes that as a result the charity has a £1.8 million backlog of payments; further notes that senior legal and human rights experts, faith leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Citizens Advice, Liberty and Mind all back the campaign to rescue the legal advice charity from the cash crisis that is not of their own making; is aware that RMJ is not asking for new money but simply prompt payment of legal aid by the Legal Services Commission, or failing that, interest-free loans by the Government to cover the gap; and calls for the legal aid payment system to be changed to ensure charities are paid promptly for their work.
Signatures( 32)
Status
See also:
JCWI call for demo against Refugee and Migrant Justice closure
Justice Secretary defends government over Refugee and Migrant Justice collapse
Weekly Immigration News Round up 20 June 2010
If you need any immigration advice or help with Sponsorship or Work Permits, Visa or an appeal against a refusal please email:
info@immigrationmatters.co.uk or visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
Complete USA Immigration and Naturalization Package
For more information on US Naturalization and immigration Click Here!
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