How much are you worth?

To the government, that would be £35000 if you come from outside the EU.

The government today announced it’s plans for migrant workers, stipulating that if the visa applicant does not fit into certain employment requirements, they will be required to have an income of above this threshold.

The JCWI explains this in greater detail: http://jcwi.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/settlement-changes/

and Free Movement dub it in more unsettling terms: http://www.freemovement.org.uk/2012/02/29/guest-worker-era-begins/

The uncomfortable phrase “brightest and best” keeps cropping up in the rhetoric. The government has clearly defined this group by extremely high financial characteristics. If wealth is all that matters, then I can’t see this assisting in the sustained demand for integration.  It doesn’t address the problem of unemployment in the UK, and indeed will further isolate immigrants from the disenchanted, underprivileged, white, British community.

If you’re affected, or know anybody who is, I’m pleased to promote a website set up with a similar purpose to the FIA. immigrantworkerslondon.com is gathering stories about all sorts of migrant groups – many of whom will be affected by the proposals announced today.

We all know that money isn’t everything. For the FIA, “best and brightest” doesn’t compute when it comes to family members. But very soon the government will be deciding on the worth of migrant family members, by calculating the worth of the sponsor.

Please send in your thoughts and stories, and watch this space for the government’s announcement…

Chris

FIA