Press Trust of India
London: A leading organisation espousing the cause of Indian
and non-EU professionals has strongly opposed the recommendation of a
key committee that the salary threshold for professionals seeking to
permanently settle in the UK be raised considerably.
Raising the threshold as recommended by the Migration Advisory
Committee (MAC) will make thousands of Indian and non-EU professionals
working here ineligible for permanent settlement, which is called the
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
The latest report of the MAC says: "To ensure greater
differentiation in the selection decision, we suggest implementing a
minimum annual pay threshold. This could reasonably be between 31,000
pounds and 49,000 pounds per year".
The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) Forum, which successfully
challenged Home Office's immigration decisions in the past, has
criticised the recommendation and said that the "whole idea of
introducing such an income criteria is a blatant mockery of the system".
The current criterion for ILR is to show the salary drawn at the time of applying for previous extension.
Indian and other non-EU professionals can apply for ILR after working for five years and demonstrating continued employment.
If the MAC recommendation is accepted by the Home Office, which
usually accepts its recommendations, it will mean that those earning an
annual salary below 49,000 pounds or the final agreed figure will not be
able to apply for the ILR.
However, MAC chairman David Metcalf has stated that some
exceptions should be made in the public sector jobs "which will
contribute to future economic growth".
Amit Kapadia, Executive Director of HSMP Forum said: "This is nothing but victimisation of migrants".
"After letting them stay on for five years and profiting from
their taxes, the government cannot impose a new criteria to evict them
from the country after they have invested their time and earnings into
building a life in the UK, and contributed towards the UK economy".
The HSMP forum, he said, believed that introducing the income
criterion will only create more problems and insecurity for the "already
troubled migrants, who are hanging to their stability by a thread due
to constant immigration changes".
Kapadia said, "We vehemently oppose these changes. The government
is constantly victimising migrants and treating them like a punching
bag to score their political points".
"A migrant who is good to come here, pay taxes and contribute to
the UK economy, is the best and the brightest and should not be forced
out from the UK when she seeks settlement.
"This is exploitation of the highest order. This is not good for the UK economy and UK's image in the long run".
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