Monday, February 23, 2009

As if the post-show blues weren't enough ...

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This is the latest straw piled on top of me.

The package includes possible moves to prevent the families of skilled migrants working in Britain and restricting skilled migrants to taking jobs only in occupations with shortages.
...
Smith signalled that raising the qualification levels for tier 1 – the most highly skilled migrant route – could cut the numbers from 26,000 to only 14,000 a year. The new criteria will require a master's rather than a bachelor's degree and a job offer with a minimum salary of £20,000 rather than £17,000.


Craig and I will be effected by these changes. Wholly and completely. They will make it near on impossible for us to get the visas we've been dreaming about.
I have a bachlor's degree, not a master's, and Craig would be applying as the family of a migrant. We would be ineligible.

We are ineligible. I cannot think of this as something which might not happen. I can't deal with the hope.

Perhaps we can apply now, before the changes get rolled through, and just wait ...

Either way we have to reassess what we are going to do with the next five years of our lives, where we will live, what we will fill our days with, how I will cope being in New Zealand when everyday already feels like torture, like a waste.

And personally, while I can stand objectively and say that I understand the changes that are being brought forward in light of the economic climate, I think the reason they are tightening the points-based system has a lot to do with the European Union

The points-based immigration system does not cover the movement of workers from within the European Union to Britain but official immigration figures to be published on Tuesday are expected to confirm that the number of Poles and other eastern Europeans coming to work continues to fall, especially since the decline of the pound against the Euro.


They can't touch the European migrants and so have piled it all upon the rest of us.

Britain seems to forget that Australia and New Zealand are part of their commonwealth.

5 comments:

  1. Sorry to have to say it, but Australia are the tightest arses when it comes to letting anyone in their precious country. Plus they have a billion times more space than we do too.

    These are tough times I guess - we're strugglin! Not to say that it isn't harsh on you guys. It is and I'd be annoyed if it was the other way around. You never know what'll happen.

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  2. Jules - New Zealand too! I mean, less about the masses of space but we're apparently pretty hard to migrate to. And in Australia's defence, a lot of their empty space is empty for a reason, desert and the like.
    But NZ & Australia are equal-opportunity-tight-arses, not picking & choosing which countries they restrict. As far as I know.

    I think it's hard all around, I hope you guys tough it out and we can catch up if C & I ever make it to England long term!

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  3. I can't help thinking about that word commonwealth. A common wealth in knowledge, language, love of travel, hard work. New Zealanders have one of the best work ethics in the world. It seems foolish to shut them out when they work hard and bring such good to the UK.

    I really don't want you to resent New Zealand, either. I know you want to be there, which I understand completely, but you have a great place to be for the meantime, despite it not quite being the same, I know.

    I do still have faith that something can happen for you, and that this isn't the end. Maybe you *can* apply before April. Maybe there's some way. Come to the UK to be my nanny. I'll hire you. And your husband is a must to draft our plans and the like.

    I wish I could help. I feel helpless.

    Hugs and ♥ always..

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  4. Kitten as Kat - thank you my sweet. I know things will turn around for us, and we have plans, so many contingency plans, they just have to wait a month or so.
    And I believe that I wouldn't resent New Zealand if I had longer away, if I was away.
    Sigh.

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  5. Yeah would be good to catch up. I hope things work out for you guys.

    Oh and as a "regular" Brit, I can safely say that most of us have absolutely no clue who is in the Commonwealth. Until the Commonwealth games start and everyone says "so-and-so is in the commonwealth? Well I never!"

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