There are different reasons as to why a migrant leave his/her country of origin and come to the UK. Some might wish to invest in the UK by setting up a business under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Investor categories. Others might want to further their career or pursue academic or professional studies. However, the long term strategy is often, consciously or sub-consciously, to settle in this country. In spite of its many misgivings the UK maintains a fairly relaxed policy, at least compared to other English speaking countries, in terms of permanent residence and acquisition of British nationality.

Residence requirements

There are different criteria to be met to qualify for UK settlement (indefinite leave to remain), but the key requirement must be that of “continuous residence in the UK”. The specified period will depend on which route the applicant is applying for UK settlement. In broad terms, the Immigration Rules are divided between “working route” and “family route”. Under most working visa categories (Tier 1/Highly Skilled or Tier 2/Work Permit), an applicant will need to spend five years in the UK to qualify for settlement. Under the family route (spouse, civil and unmarried partner), an applicant might be able to qualify having spent two years in the UK.

Accelerated UK settlement routes

Of course, there are exceptions. Under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route, one might qualify for settlement having spent three years in the UK if the business were to employ 10 British or settled workers in the UK or generate a turnover of £5 millions. Under the Tier 1 Investor category, the required period for permanent residence might be reduced to two or there years depending on the level of investment. In addition, applicants who were granted leave to remain as Tier 1 Investors or Entrepreneurs are permitted to be absent from the United Kingdom for up to 180 days in any 12 calendar months without jeopardising their application for settlement in the UK.

Absences and breaks in residence

It’s important to understand how the period of residence for UK settlement is calculated and what constitutes a break leaving the applicant short or unable to qualify. Under Tier 1/Highly Skilled and Tier 2/Work Permit visa categories, an applicant should not spend more than 18 days outside the UK in the five years period. However, short absences abroad, for example for holidays or business trips, may be disregarded, provided the applicant has clearly continued to be based here. In addition, discretion may be applied when there have been longer absences abroad, provided the absences were for compelling reasons.

In the case of settlement eligibility of spouses, civil or unmarried partners of UK citizens there is no specific requirement in the Rules that the entire probationary period must be spent in the United Kingdom. For example, where an applicant has spent a limited period outside of the United Kingdom in connection with his/her employment, this should not count against the applicant. However, if they have spent the majority of the period overseas, there may be reason to doubt that all the requirements of the Rules have been met. In such instances each case must be judged on its merits, taking into account reasons for travel as well as the length of absences.
Anyone submitting an application for settlement is strongly advised to seek professional legal advice.

UK Immigration: Settlement in the UK – Why Do Absences Matter? is a post from: Anglotopia.net

In recent press releases, Damian Green, the immigration minister, has announced that the UK Government is planning to give the current British immigration system a complete makeover to attract fewer but better qualified migrants to live and work in the UK. In particular, preferential treatment should be given to migrants who can contribute capital, skills and brain to the UK.

Thus, according to the minister, the UK needs to implement a more selective visa system arguing that “what we need is a system that… goes out to seek those people who are either going to create jobs or wealth or add to the high level artistic and cultural aspirations we have”. As a result, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) might reintroduce a form of UK visa category to select talented young professionals or individuals who have a track record in generating growth and business to boost the economic recovery. The government will also improve the system for some short-term business visitors and entertainers to ensure world-class performers are encouraged to come here. Of course, the sceptics amongst us, might argue that in light of the 2012 Olympic games, this could simply be a short–term fix to make the country more amenable to recognized artists, athletes and performers with the aim to raise the UK profile.

The government is also keen on reducing the number of immigrants by introducing tougher measures to remove illegal migrants and catch people breaking the rules. On the agenda, however, there are also new changes that might make it harder to sponsor spouses or partners of British citizens and person settled in the UK with the introduction of a salary threshold and higher level of English language. As a result, the government will soon be announcing further changes to the family migration and reforms to the UK settlement such as breaking the link between temporary and permanent migration and reviewing the annual limit on Tier 2/ work permit.

In his speech the Minister added that the ‘points based system’ of the past should ultimately be replaced by a ‘contribution-based system’ whereby migrants are checked to ensure they will add to quality of life in the UK. The Minister has also announced the introduction of a new route for international graduate entrepreneurs – international students who have engaged in innovative entrepreneurial activity during their studies and want to stay on afterwards to develop their business ideas.

UK Immigration: The Future of UK Migration – More Changes Coming Soon is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The Immigration Rules were amended on 6 April 2011 to include a new tougher criminality threshold. The key difference is that as of this date any unspent conviction will lead to a mandatory refusal of a prospective application to be granted settlement in the UK under the working and the family route. The new threshold is a much stronger requirement that the “good character” found at paragraph 322 of the Rules which sets out the general ground of refusal.

Thus, to assess your eligibility for settlement, it’s important to have an good understanding of the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offender Act which stipulates when a conviction can be deemed “spent”. In particular, a conviction becomes ‘spent’ after a specified rehabilitation period. This time depends on two key variables:

(1) the sentence imposed and not the offence committed and
(2) the age of the offender at the time of conviction.

Section 5(2) of the Act sets out the rehabilitation periods, however it is important to remember that certain convictions will never be considered spent and as such an applicant might never qualify for settlement in the UK. Depending on the specific circumstances of the case, the only option might be for the applicant to apply for an extension of his or her leave to remain.

For instance, under section 5(1) of the 1974 Act, a sentence for life imprisonment or as sentence of imprisonment for a term exceeding 30 months will never be “spent”. In addition, the sentence in question can be passed, or an order made, by the courts of any country, including court martial for persons subject to military discipline. Therefore, convictions outside of the UK will be treated as if that conviction occurred in the UK.

Finally, when calculating the rehabilitation period, one must bear in mind that this runs from the date of conviction and not the date of completion of the sentence. Also, the rehabilitation period is based on the length of the sentence, not the time (if any) actually spent in prison. Further, suspended sentences have the same rehabilitation period as sentences served.

However, there is some good news in so far as the UK Border Agency will exercise leniency in cases of Fixed Penalty Notice and Cautions. Receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is not a criminal conviction and should therefore be disregarded. The exceptions to this will be where either there are criminal proceedings for failure to pay and the individual has an unspent conviction as a result of that or the individual has multiple FPNs, particularly over a short period of time, and should be considered in line with the general requirements of character, conduct and associations within paragraph 322(5) of the Rules.

Likewise, receiving a caution is not a criminal conviction and, despite conditional cautions carrying a short rehabilitation period, they are to be disregarded. However, a person who has multiple cautions, particularly over a short period of time, should be considered in line with the general requirements of character, conduct and associations within paragraph 322(5) of the Rules.

The only exception to the new criminality requirement are applicants who are seeking settlement through the protection route (refugees and people who have been granted humanitarian protection). Highly skilled migrants programme (HSMP) who are covered by the HSMP ILR JR policy might be also exempt.

Similarly applications made by European nationals and their family members will be considered under the grounds of public policy, public security and public health.

We would strongly recommend any prospective applicants for settlement in the UK to seek professional legal advice particularly in cases where they might have had minor criminal offences and due to the complexity of the Immigration Rules.

UK Immigration: Can Criminal Convictions Affect your Ability to Settle in Britain? is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Buying a home for the first time is one of the biggest financial commitments you’ll make in your life. However, when once it was easy for first time buyers to get their foot on the ladder, with the current economic slump for many of us that first buy seems a long way off. But this isn’t time to despair. With the right advice and information, you could be moving house into your own home in no time.

Here we’ve got a few tips to start you on your way:

Government funded schemes

It’s important to make sure you check out the Government backed affordable homes schemes which enable first time buyers to step on the ladder with a much smaller deposit than that which is required in the open market. This will give you the opportunity to buy the property outright eventually, with the rent you pay on the non-owned portion usually being less than your mortgage. In today’s economic climate this is one of the best ways to get into the market and one that shouldn’t be ignored.

Ensure you get an agreement in principle

If you make sure you get an ‘agreement in principle’ from a lender before you start your property hunt, it will give you an idea of how much you can actually borrow. The way things are at the moment this is especially important as lenders are requiring much bigger deposits than before (around 25%). This will also help you as vendors are much more likely to take you seriously. All too often property chains break due to people pulling out following a failure to raise the required finance. It’s often expected you have this in place when you start looking – the estate agent will ask.

Set a budget and stick to it

This is a simple piece of advice, but arguably the most vital you’ll ever hear when looking for your first home. You may have your heart set on a specific property, and be willing to go over budget to get it. If you start thinking it’s only another few thousand pounds, where will this end? Remember you have to think about all the other costs involved with buying a house like legal fees or Stamp Duty Land Tax. Going over budget by just a few thousand on the actual asking price could have severe financial implications. If you’re serious about getting on the property ladder, get it right.

Think about your credit score and plan ahead

Most lenders will run a credit check on your to understand whether or not you are able to handle credit. Before you apply for a mortgage, it’s therefore important to think about your current credit score. Think about factors that can affect this. Don’t go overdrawn unless you have a planned overdraft and then don’t exceed it. Make sure you make all your rent payments on time, and if you don’t have a credit card, you should consider getting one to help boost your rating.

Guest Post: Top tips for getting your foot on the property ladder in Britain is a post from: Anglotopia.net

It’s difficult to measure which English city is the best place to make your home as everyone has a different ideal. Whether you’re looking for homes for sale in the UK that offer the best affordability, or are close to great schools, take a look at our guide to some of the best cities to live in the England.

Cambridge

Named Britain’s best place to bring up kids by Virgin Media, picturesque Cambridge has shown steady improvements in the emotional and physical wellbeing of its children and young people. It displays a significant decline in the number of obese children of primary and secondary school age and the county ranks in the top 20% for the level of satisfaction with parks and play areas[1]. Educational facilities in Cambridge are also considered to be very good, with four private schools located within the city itself.

Birmingham

With an average house price of £158,980[2], property in Birmingham is among the most reasonable for a city in the whole of the UK. What’s more, there have been numerous low cost housing developments throughout the area, offering buyers a great choice of affordable homes. But that’s not all, Birmingham has also been performing excellently across the education sector, with improvement among children obtaining five or more A*-C grades at GCSE level and achievements among Early Years and Key Stages 1 and 2[3].

Brighton

Nicknamed the city by the sea, residents of Brighton are believed to enjoy one of the healthiest lifestyles in the country. According to a survey, nearly 80% of Brightonians report either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ health and 23% (well above the national average) play sport regularly. 40% say that the city’s open spaces and parks are important to them and everything from early death rates and male life expectancy in the area are showing signs of improvement.[4]

London

The sprawling capital city offers a range of great places to set up home. Amongst the most highly rated are Lewisham and Sutton. Whilst many Lewisham residents are ‘income deprived’, around three quarters like where they live and 80% believe that everyone gets on well, landing this London borough the title ‘Best place: where everyone gets on well’ from Virgin Media[5]. Sutton, on the other hand, has gained recognition as one of the best places to lead a green lifestyle, with an above average 34% of household waste being recycled[6].

Guest Post: Best Cities to Live in England is a post from: Anglotopia.net

I love a good book about living off the grid and A Little Piece of England – A Tale of Self Sufficiency by John Jackson is a great little book about the subject.

Here is what the book is about:

A Little Piece of England, tells the tale of how the author’s family, living in a sliver of countryside in London’s commuter belt, came, over some ten years, to make itself, in its ‘spare time’, self-sufficient in its requirements of milk, meat, eggs, vegetables and some fruit. The book can be read in two ways. One way is for those, particularly urban folk, who are interested in growing their own food or contemplating a life style founded on their own smallholding. In this way, it is a book for those who wonder about the practicalities of living in a self contained, permacultural way and for those who dream of making their own bread or even, perhaps, of eating their own mutton stewed with their own onions and carrots.

The other way is for those, perhaps particularly anglophiles in other lands, who are in harmony with the stubborn, Saxon streak which runs strongly in the character and culture of the English. The streak which showed itself when London was fire-bombed night after night in the early 1940s and also when John’s self-taught grandfather told his children ‘You don’t know what you can do until you try to do it’.

Obviously, we read the book as Anglophiles genuinely interested in what life is like in the English countryside for someone trying to make a go at living with self-suffiency.

The book is well written and is very approachable and easy to read. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down and when it was done I found myself wanting to know more about this family and their journey.

It’s lovingly illustrated throughout – which provides nice framing for the stories told in each chapter.

Reading it was like being transported to my own little patch of the English countryside, dreaming of farming the land and making a life for myself. It’s an Anglophile’s fantasy really. And if you can make it happen in real life, at least there is a book like this to help you imagine that you have it.

It’s a cracking good read!

It’s available in Paperback as well as Kindle Format.

Brit Book Review: A Little Piece of England – A Tale of Self Sufficiency by John Jackson is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Living in the USA already possesses its own benefit and advantages but now there is another reason to celebrate being born in the USA.  As many people know making a visa application can be a daunting experience but the UK Border Agency has made this process a little easier for citizens of a small group of countries, one of which is the USA. Student visa applicants from the USA are considered low risk and as such have to provide less documentation and evidence when making their Tier 4 visa application.

If you are a US citizen and planning to study in the UK you can enjoy a simpler and smoother process when beginning your journey to the UK. The UK hosts four universities in the top 10 rankings list of best universities in the world. The University of Cambridge and Oxford are outstanding places to study and gain a British education providing that great English feel when learning at these historic establishments.

For students and potential students who have considered moving to the United Kingdom to take a college or university course, now is a great time to apply with less time wasted in the preparation process and more time thinking about your student life in England or other parts of the UK.
To be eligible for this “low risk status” the applicant only needs to be applying to a Highly Trusted University which most of the top ranked Universities come under.

These rules also apply for US students already in the United Kingdom. If any students have recently graduated they can apply for a Tier 1 Post study work visa also known as PSW which permits them to stay and work in the United Kingdom for 2 years after they complete their Degree.

If you are applying inside the UK you can obtain your post study work visa in one day using the UKBA’s sameday visa service at one of their Public Enquiry Offices (PEO) throughout the country. This option will reduce the usual waiting time from 8 weeks to 1 day so if you want to travel in a hurry or need a visa to show your employer this service will be ideal for you. Currently many of the PEOs are booked into January already so it is advised to plan ahead now.

The Tier 1 Post Study Work visa route is going to be closed in April 2012 to new applicants so if you have just recently graduated or will be graduating before this date get your application prepared and submitted so you can enjoy another two years of life in the United Kingdom.

UK Immigration: Americans planning to study in the UK are labelled low risk and enjoy an easier application process is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Be prepared for UK visa application form changes.

When the UK government announces changes in rules for a particular immigration category this can usually mean that the application form for that category is going to be updated. The announcement below from the UK Border Agency was one such notice.  Applicants applying for settlement in the UK on the basis of working for a required amount of time had their application form changed on 1st Nov 2011. The new application form Set(O) was released on 1st Nov 2011 and you will know you have the correct form if you have version number 10/2011.

What does this all mean?

If you send in the wrong application form the UKBA would reject an application. If you spend weeks or months preparing your settlement application and on the 31st October you completed it only to mail on the 1st Nov 2011 when the new application form was released your application stands a change of being rejected.

How can I avoid making this mistake if I’m preparing for an application?

The best way to keep up to date if you are either migrating to the UK or extending your leave you should regularly read the UKBA news section which always gives notices and news on upcoming changes to the immigration rules. These changes can be quite sudden so when you are in the preparation stage of making a visa application, check the UKBA news section regularly.

If you’re in doubt also consider contacting an authorized immigration consultant. Many consultants offer a free consultation and their websites usually provide lots of useful and updated information relating to immigration.

UKBA News Update

On 6 April 2011, the UK Immigration Rules were amended to introduce a salary requirement for settlement applications made by work permit holders and migrants under Tier 2 of the points-based system. Their applications must now include written confirmation from their employer or sponsor that they are being paid at or above the appropriate rate for their job as set out in the Tier 2 codes of practice.

From 31 October 2011, there will be further changes to the Immigration Rules. Work permit holders and Tier 2 migrants will need to provide specified documents to confirm that they are being paid at or above the appropriate rate for their job. This is in addition to the employer’s confirmation.
From 31 October, any settlement application by a Tier 2 migrant or a work permit holder must include:

• a payslip and a personal bank or building society statement; or
• a payslip and a building society pass book.

If you do not provide this evidence, your application may be refused.

Before the UKBA amended the Immigration Rules in April to incorporate an income requirement for settlement, they conducted an equality impact assessment. The 31 October changes to the Rules are considered to be relatively minor and do not change that assessment.

UK Immigration: UK Visa Application Form Changes is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Editor’s Note: The following is an excellent guest post by Nate and Sheri Wadman – a couple that has just returned from a trip to England. They kindly have written about their experience on the trip culminating in the 2011 NFL Game at Wembley. Thanks for sharing guys!

As soon as it was announced that the Chicago Bears would be playing at Wembley in 2011, we knew we had to go. For anyone who wants to go to an NFL UK game that means signing up for the registry of interest to make sure you can buy tickets. With that done, we just had to wait out this year’s NFL lockout. Fortunately for us, the lockout ended early enough that the game would go on. So after waking up VERY early in the morning on the prescribed day because of the difference in time zone, we purchased our tickets and made firm our plans. We were going to the Bears VS. Bucs in LONDON!

Disclaimer: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the hosting team, but may be under represented in this article because they were not our reason for traveling the world to watch American Football. Go BEARS!

We arrived in London almost a week before the game so that we could be tourists before the crowds for the game arrived. This was not our first trip to London and we had already seen many of the major sights, so this time we wanted to see some of the lesser visited things, which are no less amazing, and revisit some places we really wish we could visit more.

Although we were supposed to have arrived at Heathrow in early evening our flight was delayed, and even with taking the Heathrow Express we didn’t get into Paddington until after the Tube station window service attendant was gone for the day. The automated ticket machines wouldn’t take our credit cards because they are not chip and pin, so we had to get cash to buy our Oyster cards (not usually an issue if you arrive during the day because the attendant can accept swipe cards through the window). With Oyster cards in hand, we gratefully made it to our hotel after a long day of travelling. [If you plan on visiting a number of the traditional sights of London i.e. Tower of London, Churchill War Rooms and will be using the Underground/National Rail Service as your primary form of transportation may we suggest a rail pass over the Oyster card as you can receive two for one entrance to a number of sites throughout London. A full list of current offers can be found at http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/offers.]

Our list of places to go for this trip was very flexible as the only thing that was a MUST DO was the game. Playing it by ear most mornings, we saw:

The Monument

Three hundred and eleven steps to the top of the tower in the old part of the City. Built in 1671-1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London and celebrate the rebuilding of the City, the view from the top is a captivating panorama. Amazing in its own right and worth a visit, this would also be a good substitute for any who would not be able to climb the steps at St Paul’s, as it is currently closed for the Occupy London protests.

The Imperial War Museum

There is currently showing an exhibit on children during WWII and 1940s house and a display from MI5 & MI6 that are very good. The displays on World War I and II are also interesting and seeing just this portion of the museum will take up the better part of an afternoon.

St Pancras and Kings Cross stations

To find platform 9 ¾, because we are Harry Potter nerds. St Pancras is dressed very nicely for the 2012 games but Kings Cross is still under construction so the Hogwarts students have been moved outside the station to the street corner, which looks hastily constructed and is a bit disappointing.

Bank of England Museum

We have been to this one a few times as well but it is free and although a bit small, interesting enough to do more than once. The history and evolution of English currency is fun to learn (we know why it is called a pound note, do you?) and there is also information about employees and events through the years.

Borough Market

We come for the people watching, to see what sorts of delicious and disgusting things you can buy to eat when you live here, and for the best grilled/toasted cheese sandwiches ever. The Kappacasein Toasted Cheese Sandwiches & Raclette stand in the shadow of the Southwark Cathedral is a pleasure to behold in sight and smell and a great place to get lunch on weekends when the market is open. The gentleman that runs the stand makes his own cheese and a sandwich or raclette for a picnic in the churchyard is a great way to enjoy his hard work.

The Science Museum

Even though we had intended to visit the Natural History Museum we ended up learning science for a good couple of hours instead because the queue to get in was shorter. The history of aviation is very good and the Secret Life of the Home exhibit was very nostalgic. There is also an exhibit called the Listening Post that claims to be “what the internet sounds like” and samples posts live from unrestricted chatrooms, bulletin boards and public forums; it makes you wonder if anything you’ve written has been on there.

Hampstead, Hampstead Heath and La Creperie de Hampstead

This is a stop we make every trip and it’s wonderful every time. We take the tube or the overground to the village of Hampstead, walk around town for a bit before waiting for a crepe and then stroll over to Hampstead Heath to eat. The Creperie de Hampstead has been in the same little roadside stand for over 31 years serving both savory and sweet crepes that we crave when we are at home.  There is almost always a queue and you get a bit of “Soup-Nazi” service but they are absolutely worth the wait and hassle. Hampstead Heath is quite large with lots of different types of park land to enjoy but also has one of the most spectacular views of London, in an area called Parliament Hill where they fly kites on good days.

Soho and Chinatown

We always find a way to make a stop here to eat at the Pollo Bar and then have a walk around. La Porchetta Pollo Bar Pizzeria [20 Old Compton Street, London W1V 5PE] is a great Italian restaurant that is filled with locals every time we’ve been (on every trip), which we learned about from family that grew up just down the road. They are VERY reasonably priced and have never disappointed in deliciousness.

Oxford Street

We like to have breakfast at the cafeteria in the Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street then walk around and on this day the shoppers were in full form. There were lots of people in town to do their weekend shopping and also lots of shoppers in for the game, you could tell from all the team gear around.

With all of our touristing days over, it was finally time for why we made the trip -the GAME!

Getting to Wembley stadium was simple. There is a Wembley Park stop on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, Wembley Stadium stop on the Chiltern Railways line and a Wembley Central stop on the Bakerloo and Overground lines, not to mention the bus service that drops there as well. On our Oyster Cards we had a weekly travelcard for zones 1 and 2 but Wembley is in zone 4. We just asked a station attendant how much to top-up, with pay-as-you-go, to each of our Oyster Cards and we were covered for the round trip journey. Our hotel was just off the Jubilee line so we could go straight there with no line changes, and as you exit the tube station following the signs for Wembley Park you come out on Olympic Way that goes straight to the entrance of the stadium, no getting lost or turned around.

Tailgating at regular NFL games in the states is usually only for arriving early to get parking and maybe have a BBQ with other people you know that are going to the game, but at this game everyone came early to make it through the first layer of security and take a look at the pre-game exhibition. They had International Game team sponsor vehicles on display, as well as Team Zone tents with Hall of Fame relics to see, each team had a photo-op point (a giant inflatable bear and a buccaneer pirate ship) and there were very long queues to purchase official NFL merchandise.

It was quite evident that a lot of the spectators were not necessarily dedicated fans of either team but just happy to be able to go to any NFL game at all. Looking at the team jerseys worn that day, every team from the NFL was represented. One of the things displayed on the jumbotron was this little fact: 76,981 attendees (which undoubtedly were from all over the world)!

The pregame show included the Goo Goo Dolls performing while team flags were sent around the stadium passed along by the crowd.  When the teams came out onto the field the Buccaneers star player ran out with a Union Jack, which was very nice way to thank the fans for letting them come play there (and us to watch). The last thing before the start of the game was the singing of both national anthems while airmen from the US and UK stationed at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, and the London Olympians displayed the colors. We were in the lower bowl area so we even got to be part of the Union Jack design that was on one side (Stripes on the other).

Shortly after the start of the game there was what our seatmates called a “Squirrel on the play”. That little squirrel stayed on the field long enough the audience started rooting for it!

The only other interesting fact that maybe didn’t make it onto ESPN was the streaker (or pitch invader as we heard it called) in the third quarter and his apprehension. The squirrel received more cheers.

Final score Chicago 24, Tampa Bay 18 – THE BEARS WIN!!!

This trip was definitely worth it to see that happen.

Also, it is insanity when 75,000 people all try to take the tube back after the game. Fortunately the crowd was pretty friendly and the queue didn’t take too long, although the trains were PACKED!

Here’s a gallery of our pictures:

Da Bears at Wembley – On the Ground Report from the NFL London Game is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Earlier this week the government accepted the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)’s recommendations, which were submitted for consideration in September 2011. In its report, the MAC focused in particular on those industries and sectors where it deemed that resident workers are now available to fill the vacancies.

Although the MAC’s report advised the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to remove a total of 29 job titles from the Shortage Occupation List (SOL), the government has only approved removal of the following positions: secondary education biology teachers, speech and language therapists, pharmacists, veterinary surgeons and rank and file orchestral musicians. It is important to note that although these positions no longer appear on SOL, a UK employer or business can continue to sponsor migrants in these positions under the Tier 2 General scheme by meeting the Resident Market Labour Test.

In addition, following the MAC’s recommendations the following positions will be added to the shortage occupation list: actuaries, high integrity pipe welders, environmental scientists and geochemists.

The revised list will come into effect from 14 November 2011. This means that for applications covered by the annual limit, the new list will apply to all applications by Tier 2 sponsors for restricted certificates of Sponsorship made on or after 14 November 2011. For applications outside the annual limit, the new list will apply to all unrestricted certificates of sponsorship assigned to migrants on or after 14 November 2011.

On 6 April 2011, the UKBA introduced the requirement for Tier 2/Work Permit migrants applying for settlement in the UK to show that they are still needed by their employer and that they are being paid in accordance to the standard code of practice. However, according to the Statement of Changes, the government plans to introduce enhanced verification procedures whereby migrants will have to prove that they are being paid at the appropriate amount by producing mandatory documents when applying for settlement. Please note that at this stage there is no further information available as to what documents applicants will have to present as part of the application. Further details will be disclosed when the rules are being introduced and the guidance will be updated accordingly.

UK Immigration: Upcoming Changes to Tier 2 Work Visa Category is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Many people assume to migrate to the UK they have to follow UK immigration law. Unknown to many people there is another route into the UK. A separate set of rules governing the European Economic Area (EEA)which includes the UK provide a different set of immigration rules for those EEA citizens and their family members. AS the UK is part of the EEA area people can migrate to the UK under either set of immigration rules if they are eligible.

If you or your partner is an EEA national living outside the UK and have considered moving there for work, study or just to live and enjoy what the country has to offer then this is another way to enter the UK legally.

Advantages of the EEA immigration route:

• No Fees: That’s right, if you apply under the EEA rules you don’t have to pay any immigration fees to the UK government or any government departments. Generally, regular UK Immigration fees can be as much as £1000+ and steadily on the rise.
• No restrictions:  Work and benefits are not restricted like regular migrants under the UK Immigration rules.
• Keep your Passport: You can get your passport back and travel during applications and still not lose your place. If you have to travel for work or just leisure while your EEA application is being processed while in the UK you can request it back which takes around 10 days and travel. Then when the UK Border Agency are finally processing your application they will request your passport back to stamp it with your residence status (or provide a letter with your residence status).
• Fast processing: To enter the UK through the EEA route the Non-EEA family member has to first obtain an EEA Family Permit. These are usually issued within 2 weeks and as fast as 2 days sometimes. This would save you going through the hassle of a long settlement application through the regular UK Immigration route. Technically you don’t have to even apply for the EEA family permit but it makes your life much easier to have the approval when entering the UK.
• Route to British Citizenship: When you enter the UK your Non-EEA family member(s) can then apply for a residence card and after 5 years they can get Permanent Residence followed by British Citizenship if desired after another year. Note that EEA Applications for permanent residence after 5 residing in the UK for 5 years are not called Indefinite Leave to Remain which is the permanent residence equivalent for people under regular UK Immigration rules.

Disadvantages:

• Slow processing inside the UK: When you arrive in the UK and apply for a residence card the processing time is up to 6 months. Usually this is faster but by law the UK has to process your application within 6 months. Again there are no fees associated with any EEA applications making this immigration route very cost effective.
• EEA family member have to be exercising their treaty rights. This means they have to be working, studying, job seeking or self-sufficient. Also note that if the EEA family member is exercising their treaty rights as a student or self-sufficient they will need comprehensive medical insurance also.

So if you are married to a charming person from Ireland, Germany, Italy or anywhere else in the EEA you don’t have to worry about the complex and strict UK Immigration rules. Immigrate to the United Kingdom the easy route using your EEA rights.

About WM Immigration: Professional immigration firm based in London, United Kingdom authorised to provide UK Immigration advice. Visit our website at www.wmimmigration.com for more information

Guest Post: UK Immigration – The Easy Way to Migrate to the United Kingdom is a post from: Anglotopia.net

This is a guest post by Sarah Tyler.

For a person who had always been very passionate about British culture, I was surprisingly unprepared for the experience of dating a Brit. Sure, I knew my pasty from my ploughman’s and had enough pop culture facts to win even the most difficult pub quiz, but as it turned out, a successful intercultural relationship required more than this type of understanding about Britain. I think Americans have a tendency to view the British as extended family members who merely speak in a different accent, underestimating how large the cultural gap between our two societies really is.

As an anglophile, I seem to have been subconsciously drawn to British men like a moth to the flames, and those experiences have taught me a lot about British culture and myself. Looking back on those relationships, things would have gone a lot smoother if I had been aware of certain cultural differences. It is impossible and inaccurate to classify a richly diverse nation of people into a handful of stereotypical mannerisms; however my experiences have taught me that there seem to be certain fundamental differences that would have made my life easier if I would have understood them in advance.

One of the areas of difference between my American culture and that of my British counterpart’s was our attitudes about health and wellness. I had grown up being coddled by people when I was sick and had developed the understanding that an important way to show you care about someone is to look after them when they’re feeling under the weather. However, the Brits seemed to always downplay their illnesses and didn’t feel that something like a case of the flu was worth fussing over. In a situation where I would seek help or sympathy, they usually preferred to go on with their lives as normally as possible and trust it would get better on its own.  In the long run I think being around this attitude was a big benefit for me – it has helped me to carry on strongly when situations were less than desirable.  However, at the time it was difficult for me to recognize that people have different outlooks and ways of showing affection. It took awhile to understand that if I received a little tough love from an British boyfriend when I was sick, it wasn’t because he didn’t care enough about me, it was that he had a completely different cultural perspective on how to act in that situation.

Something that was not nearly as detrimental to my relationships but that took some getting used to was the British drinking and pub culture. Coming from a family who never drank or kept alcohol in the house, it was really surprising to me to see what an important social role the pub plays in British life, and how frequently my boyfriend would want to go there! In the small, rural town that I’m from, bars have something of a negative connotation attached to them. They are nothing like British pubs, which are frequented by the entire community and are a vital aspect of social interaction. In America, for example, many people prefer to watch important sporting events at home, where they can throw a private party with their friends and family. However, in England it can be very expensive to purchase the networks that broadcast these events so instead everyone will go to watch the football match at the pub. If you are dating a British person, chances are good that the pub will become an important fixture in your life. I grew to really love my local, it offered so much more than the bars back home. Delicious, cheap coffee and lunches, fun quiz nights and sports matches – it was a great place to relax and unwind after a long day. I soon came to appreciate it just as much as my fellow Brits, and understood why my boyfriend ascribed so much value to it.

One really great thing about dating someone who is from Britain is that you get to learn about a new culture and you also get to see your own culture from a different perspective. Any new relationship is exciting but if you are dating a Brit, everything becomes exciting. From something as simple as the different ways you pronounce words to learning about new music, TV shows and stores – an intercultural relationship gives you so much to share with someone. However, it’s very easy to get caught up in these aspects and to overlook larger issues of compatibility. If you are going to date someone from Britain, you need to make sure you are prepared to encounter many misunderstandings and cultural differences, and that you are also prepared to change your perspective on the world. If you’re up to the challenge, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Sarah Tyler is a lifelong anglophile currently completing her bachelor’s degree and plotting her big move across the pond. 

Transatlantic Romance: A Field Guide to Dating a Brit is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The Wheat has been separated from the Chaff! The last sixteen have emerged to take their Quarter Final spots but who were the Wheat and who were the Chaff?

The last week of the pool round had some scintillating match ups with Scotland needing to get at least one victory from two very tough encounters against Argentina and England. New Zealand had to face their World Cup boogey team France to win their Pool and Ireland just had the thorny little task of beating Italy to advance.

The week got underway with Australia facing a weakened United States in Wellington. The US coach Eddie Sullivan chose a second string US side to face Australia due to the Eagles hectic schedule. Eagles had little chance of turning over one of the competitions early favourites, and with the Wallabies running in 11 tries to one, the chances of an upset lasted only until the two teams walked on to the field.

Aussies, Rob Horne and Rocky Elsom scored for the Wallabies, before they were surprised by a JJ Gagiano’s try for the US. The two times World Champions Australia, then put the Americans to the sword, as Kurtley Beale and Anthony Faingaa ensured Australia earned a bonus point by half-time. The Aussies stepped up a gear in the second half, running in seven unanswered tries, including a six-minute hat-trick from Adam Ashley-Cooper, to secure all five points from the match with a 67-5 victory.

England took a more assured step towards the Quarter Finals as they trounced Romania 67-3 with returning from injury winger Mark Cueto scoring a hat-trick along with Chris Ashton. Jonny Wilkinson seemed to be returning to better form as he converted three tries with his trusty boot along with a penalty conversion before being replaced by Toby Flood who also had a superb outing with his boot. The Six Nations champions seemed to be on better form after a couple of error strewn games earlier in the tournament but they would need to in much better form to face Scotland in a crunch final match in the Pool stage for both sides.

Hosts New Zealand went head to head with France to see who would be the winners of Pool A. Les Bleus had famously knocked out the All Blacks from the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, but with rumors of France possibly throwing the game, so they would have an easier run in, in the knock out stages the tie was highly charged. The Hosts weathered the early pressure from Les Bleus but were never truly troubled by their old nemesis, as they ended up clear winners 37-17 at full time.

Ireland kept their chance of winning Pool C with a emphatic victory over Russia as they easily earned their bonus point to go with the four for winning the tie 62-12. The Irish scored nine tries with Ronan O’Gara scoring an impressive six conversions and a penalty kick. The victory left them in control of the Pool and an important test against Italy to see who would be the winner of the group between them and Australia.

Minutes after Ireland had all but secured their place in the Quarter Finals their Celtic cousins Scotland had a tough task of their own to secure a place in the last sixteen of the tournament. The Scots had to face an ever improving Argentina side. The Southern Hemisphere nation have steadily improved over the years and will finally get its inclusion in the Tri-Nations in 2012, as they become the Four Nations, with a possible Pacific Islands team to make a fifth nation in the future.

Argentina had run England very close in their opening game and would look to make Scotland’s road to the Quarter Finals as difficult as possible, as they did with a dour 13-12 victory over the Scots. Both teams made life difficult for themselves with a number of errors that gifted their opponent’s chances to put themselves on the board but points seemed hard to find for the two nations, as Scotland’s Chris Patterson and Felipe Contepomi of Argentina, who had given the Pumas the lead despite Scotland’s early pressure missed a number of penalty opportunities.

Scotland survived an early scare as Martin Rodriguez sliced wide a simple drop-goal attempt in front of the posts during the first spell of Argentine pressure. Rodriguez missed another stellar chance from a drop goal attempt just after Contepomi put the Pumas on the score board. Scotland did pull level with the Pumas before the half as the Argentine forwards collapsed the scrum to give Patterson another chance in front of the posts, and this time he did not fail to hit the target.

After the restart Ruaridh Jackson then gave the Scots the lead with a Penalty conversion of his own after another collapsed scrum. The Argentinians pulled level as Contepomi made amends for a failed penalty conversion as the Scots collapsed a scrum of their own. Scotland applied the pressure and went close as scrum half Rory Lawson was held up on the line by some stalwart Argentine defending. A minute later, a beautifully controlled drop-goal from Jackson restored the Scots’ three-point lead.

Dan Parks replaced Jackson with 10 minutes remaining and, after a monster kick deep into Argentine territory, slotted over a drop-goal that appeared to put Scotland in the driving seat. However, Argentina swept up the field and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino jagged inside Paterson on the touchline and squirmed inside two more tackles before getting over the try line for an superb try that was converted by Contepomi.

In the dying minutes of the tie, Parks came close to steeling it for the Scots as he sliced wide with a drop goal attempt after being forced on to his weaker left foot by an offside-looking Contepomi, but there was to be no whistle other than the final one from the referee.

Wales not to be out done by Ashton, Cueto and Ashley-Cooper got a hat-trick scorer of their own in Scott Williams in their easy 81-7 victory over Namibia. The Welsh running up an impressive 12 tries to give them the full five points form the match and leave them needing a victory over Fiji to claim their Quarter Final spot.

In other matches Japan and Canada had the first tie of the tournament as they drew 23-23 in Napier. Italy kept on target for a place in the Quarter Finals as they beat the USA 27-10. Georgia beat Romania 25-9 to give the Romanians the ignominy of the Pool B wooden Spoon. The South Africans took a lazy ride through the Samoans as they ran out 13-5 winners to claim top spot in Pool D.

With only two days of Pool action left there were two crunch mates still to play out of the six remaining games on the last Pool weekend. Scotland had a myriad of permutations if they were to win a place in the quarter finals but ultimately they had to hope that they could beat England and prevent England from getting a bonus point to stand any chance. Whilst Ireland had to beat Italy to claim their place in the Quarter Finals as well, but after their historic victory over Australia earlier in the tournament is was Ireland’s to lose.

Despite the hype of an Italy upset before the kick off the Irish easily saw off the Italian threat with a stunning 36-6 victory to win all their pool matches and head the Pool C table over heavily favoured Australia. Scotland on the other hand were not so lucky.

Needing to beat England and prevent their old rivals from claiming a bonus point they failed dismally as the English stumbled to yet another World Cup victory 16-12. The game was over shadowed by the wet and blustery conditions that made handling a major issue for both sides in Auckland. Scotland will count themselves unlucky that they couldn’t put the game to bed as the English gave way numerous penalties in scoring positions for the Scots and failed to put away scoring opportunities of their own.

The Scots had the advantage at the half with a 9-3 lead but whatever England coach Martin Johnson put in his player’s tea certainly did the trick as England came out a new team. Despite some ranging runs from the English backs, the Scottish defence held out and after another error from the English the Scots extended their lead from the boot of Patterson. The tie was in Scotland’s hand but the every present drop goal threat of Wilkinson bore fruit as on 63 minutes the English pulled three points closer. The Scottish line out failed near the Scottish touchline as Wilkinson again gave the English a lifeline from his boot to put the English within three points. However, with England trailing 9-12 and the game entering its painful finale for Scotland, English replacement Toby Flood threw a devious miss-pass to Ashton on the right wing who dived over to end Scotland’s hopes, with Flood adding the extras from the touchline.

The rest of the weekends fixtures were games to make up the number as the Pools had all but ended as expected, Australia routed the Russians 68-22, Argentina rested a few first team players as they ran out 25-7 winners over Georgia. The Welsh continued their fine form as they demolished Fiji 66-0 in Hamilton and New Zealand took a leisurely stroll to beat Canada comfortably 79-15.

In contrast to the majority of tier one nation’s relatively easy passage to the Quarter Finals, the French failed to qualify in style, as they suffered an ignominious 19-14 loss to Tonga. The loss meant that Les Bleus limped into the Quarter Finals, with Marc Lievremont’s side in disarray after a fine start to the Pool stage of the completion.

So the cream of world rugby has risen to the top and the only shock is the omission of Scotland from the Quarter Finals but for Argentina it is a well-deserved spot in the last 16 after some combative and spirited rugby. The Quarter Finals have separated the Northern Hemisphere sides from the Southern, meaning that it will be a North versus South World Cup Final.

The 2003 winners England have looked less then sterling in their Pool play and can count themselves lucky to have squeaked through, after some awful displays. France has also looked like a disjointed team bereft of originality and clearly not at the races in their last two outings. Ireland and Wales both look like they can beat anyone on their day, unfortunately one of them will miss out on a Semi Final spot.

Reigning champions South Africa have a formidable test against Australia but New Zealand will be quite happy that they be playing Argentina in the Quarter Final and hoping that their possible Semi Final opponents have a very tough match. However, the teams got to the Quarter Finals it is now that the real World Cup starts in earnest.

Pool A
1. New Zealand
2. France
Pool B
1. England
2. Argentina
Pool C
1. Ireland
2. Australia
Pool D
1. South Africa
2. Wales

Quarter Finals

Ireland Vs Wales
England Vs France
South Africa Vs Australia
New Zealand Vs Argentina

IRB Rugby World Cup – New Zealand 2011 – Final Pool Week Round Up. is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Guest Post: UK Immigration – Common UK Visa Application Mistakes is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Australia collapse another scrum to nullify a dominant Ireland

The 2011 Rugby World Cup got its first upset of the tournament as the Irish turned over Australia in a thriller at Eden Park, Auckland. The United States recorded their first win as they beat Russia, and reigning champions South Africa and host’s New Zealand sustain their dominance in their pools.

The United States had come off the back of a fine performance in their defeat to Ireland to face a Russia side that has one eye on improving their performance as Rugby Sevens is to be included in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The USSR had regularly beaten the likes of Italy in the 1970’s but with the decline of the Soviet Union their players had spread to the four corners of the broken up Soviet Union.

The Eagles outperformed the Bears on their World Cup debut, under horrendous conditions with the wind and rain lashing the Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth. Russia got off to a fantastic start, as Yury Kushnarev kicked Russia’s first World Cup points from a penalty after only three minutes. Ultimately though, despite the early lead the debutants ended up losing 13-6 to the stronger American side. Russia’s coach, ex-Sale head coach Kingsley Jones would have been pleased with the stalwart defensive play of his charges who despite an overwhelming size difference in the pack managed to hold the Americans to one try in the first half, and prevented them scoring any in the second half.

For Russia their second match of the week was against a slightly stronger side than the US, in the shape of Italy. The Italians needed to rack up some points if they wanted to challenge Ireland and Australia for one of the two quarter final berths from Pool C. Unfortunately for Russia that is exactly what they did. As the ran out clear winners with a 53-17 victory to claim all five points up for grabs and claim their first victory of the tournament and leave Russia squarely at the foot of Pool C.

The Pool was thrown wide open for Italy as Ireland pulled off a fantastic mauling of the Tri-Nations Champions Australia at Eden Park, Auckland. The Aussies had gone into the match up as clear favourites but the Irish who have stuttered in the last couple of years produced some of the form that gave them the Six Nations, Grand Slam in 2009 to record an historic victory by 15-6. The Wallabies were without their playmaking flanker David Peacock and influential hooker Steven Moore, but the front five of Ireland would have made it difficult for any team out there, with their total dominance.

The other home nations came through relatively unscathed from their ties but England coach Martin Johnson will not be pleased with the manner of his team’s victory over Georgia. England stuttered through their match, winning 41-10, scoring six tries to gain the extra point but it was only the fitness levels of the English that told at the end to allow them the dominant victory, as they only led 17-10 at the half. Johnson will be hoping that his charges concentrate more on their team performance then their late night partying after a number of them were caught drinking late into the night at a local night club.

The Welsh are sitting in third place in Pool D, after a narrow 17-10 victory over second placed Samoa. In previous World Cup’s the Welsh have struggled to defeat the Samoans but with only Fiji and Namibia to play the Welsh will be feeling confident of moving onto the quarter final stages for the first time since 2003. However, they will be mindful that it was a 38-34 loss to Fiji that stopped them qualifying for the quarter finals in the last World Cup.

Scotland did not play this week but there has been some grumbling in the Scottish camp that their most difficult games come in the span of five days against Argentina and England. However, with nine points in the bag and joint top of Pool B with England, a berth in the quarter finals is theirs to lose.

In other matches the hosts New Zealand gave Japan a 83-7 thumping as they continued their dominancy in Pool A. New Zealand’s main rivals for winners of Pool A, are the French who gave Canada a thumping of their own as they ran out 46-19 winners. The two giants of pool face off next week as the All Blacks and Le Bleus attempt to top the pool, but speculation is rife that the French who have knocked out the All Blacks in recent World Cups are going to play a second string starting XV, in an attempt not win, with the hope of an easier route to the final.

Reigning champions South Africa trounced poor neighbours Namibia 87-0 in Pool D, to all but guarantee their place in the last eight of the tournament but with only second placed Samoa to play it is their berth in the quarters to lose.

In the battle for the wooden spoon in Pool A, Japan were on the end of another loss as Tonga beat the Cherry Blossoms 31-18 and in Pool B, Argentina beat the pool’s whipping boys Romania 43-8 to leave themselves still in the hunt for a quarter final spot at the expense of either England or Scotland.

The second week of ties has shown that the established nations will beat the tier 2, nations, in the Rugby World 99 times out of a 100. This has led to a call in some quarters for the exclusion of the emerging nations from the actual finals. However, this would be wrong. For many players from the lesser rugby playing nations it is a chance to play in some of the finest rugby stadia in the world, in front of thousands of fans. It is a chance to pit their wits, energy and skills against the world’s finest rugby playing athletes. It is a chance at glory, a chance to cause an upset and maybe a chance to be seen by a scout from one of the world’s professional clubs and turn professional.

For the established nations these games are vital, they give the teams a chance to come together as a squad for over two months, a chance to iron out kinks in their games, a chance hone their skills so that when they (barring a humiliating defeat) reach the quarter finals they should be firing on all cylinders. The coaches should know who their ideal first XV is. They should know what tactics they should be employing as they take on their top flight opponents and whether they actually have a cat in hells chance of winning the tournament.

Rugby World Cup – New Zealand 2011 – Week Two Round Up is a post from: Anglotopia.net

South Africa's Captain John Smit Raises Aloft the 2007 William Webb Ellis Trophy

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is only a week old! Everyone has played at least one game but which of the coaches will be the happy hooker and who will feel they are in the sin bin?

The tournament got off to a cracking start with a stunning opening ceremony in Auckland with a choir of 400 singing the Rugby World Cup anthem, World in Union. Martin Sneddon, CEO for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011, said of World in Union, “the performance sums up the cosmopolitan character of our young nation with singers of Maori, Pakeha, Samoan, Fijian, Cook Island, Niuean, Tongan, Tokelauan, Australian, Chinese, Korean, English, Irish, Danish, American, Canadian, Dutch, South African and Indian descent”, and he wasn’t wrong. The massed voices of multi-cultural New Zealand did their nation proud but it was up to the 30 players on the field to make the rugby world proud.

The hosts did not disappoint their fans with a dominant display to open the festival of rugby, beating Tonga 41-10. The All Blacks led by 29-3 at half time with a pair of tries each for Israel Dagg, and Richard Kahui with Tongan, Kurt Morath scoring a penalty to put some points on the board for the visitors. The All Blacks failed to capitalise on fine first half performance but after 19 minutes of the second half gone they managed to break the resolute Tongans with another try, this time from Jerome Kaino after a neat chip from Kahui set him free to power over the line. The Tongans did not take this lying down and took the fight to the All Blacks, gaining some great possession. With New Zealand born Taumalolo burrowing his way over the try line from short range for a well-deserved try, which was converted by Morath.

Despite the five points for the host nation in the opening tie of the competition. New Zealand coach Graham Henry will be happy to have got the opening game under his belt but will be mindful of his team letting the game slip in the second period.

In some of the other opening round match ups, England and Argentina fought out a close match with England ruing five penalty misses from kicking stalwart Jonny Wilkinson. The English looked to be heading for a shock opening defeat at the hands of the Pumas as they were tailing 9-3, with 13 minutes left on the clock. However, a late try from scrum half ,Ben Youngs spared the 2003 champions blushes to leave England second in Group B behind old rivals Scotland.

On paper you would think that Scotland would have an easier task as they took on Romania, but with the Scots ability to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory the game did not seem to be going to plan for their coach Andy Robinson, as his side let a 21-11 lead slip. After victory in all but two of their last twelve encounters it seemed like it was going to be another loss for Scotland as Romania lead 24-21 with only 12 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, for Romania the Scottish kicking metronome Chris Paterson had not left his kicking boots in the dressing room as he leveled the tie before Simon Danielli went over late to take the match away from the Romanians.

Scotland put in a less than impressive display in the second of their first week matches as they struggled to stamp their authority on Georgia, as they won by the tight margin of 15 points to six. Andy Robinson’s side were defensively very strong but had no attacking dynamism which was hampered even more by the difficult wet conditions. Dan Park who was in for Chris Paterson for kicking duties managed to convert only four of his seven penalty attempts and produced all of the Scottish points from his boot. Despite Scotland’s difficulties they still sit on top of Pool ‘B’ with nine points, five ahead of England.

In Ireland’s opening tie the defensively frail United States, showed that they had heeded the warnings of their weak defence and produced one of the best defensive displays so far, holding the 2009 Six Nations Champions Ireland to three points in the first half, and could feel unlucky to have not gone into the dressing room on level terms. However, for the Eagles the Irish were just too strong in the second half running out as 22-10 victors with both side failing to gain the extra point.

The last of the home Nations, Wales can feel slightly unlucky to have lost their opening tie to reigning Webb Ellis trophy holders South Africa, after James Hooks controversial penalty kick was judged to have gone wide despite appearances, to leave the Welsh on the end of a scintillating 17-16 defeat. When questioned about the disputed penalty decision, Tournament organisers said: “Correct protocol was followed. The IRB will not be making further comment.”

In other ties, Australia won 32-6 to run out as clear winners against Italy in a one sided contest that gave them maximum points, and in first place above Ireland in Pool C. France made heavy weather in their opening game against Japan but still ran out clear winners, 47-21. The Frenched claimed the extra point to leave them in second place in Pool A behind New Zealand. Fiji were the first of the second level teams to record a victory as they beat Namibia 49-25. Unfortunately, for Namibia they also lost their second match of the week to Samoa as they the Pacific Islanders won 49-12. It leaves the Africans with no chance of qualifying for the next stage of the Cup.

Canada recorded an impressive victory over Tonga to resign them to a second consecutive defeat in a week as the Canucks ran out winners in a tightly fought contest that ended 25-20. For the Canadians it was the third time that they have defeated Tonga in World Cup competitions and means that Toga have no chance of progressing to the second stage of the Tournament.

With the second set of ties now underway and the Pools starting to take shape it is clear that the usual suspects of England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and France will be in the mix for the knockout stage. However, the only team to stamp their authority so far on the tournament seems to be Australia and their coach Robbie Deans will be very pleased with their performance. Scotland’s Andy Robinson will be happy to have nine points after two games but won’t be happy with the less then dominant performances from his side, and South Africa’s Peter De Villiers will be unhappy at the way Wales took his reigning champions so close. However, with four more games left for most teams it’s still all to play for.

About the Rugby World Cup

The IRB (International Rugby Board) Rugby World Cup 2011, is one of the preminent sporting events in the world’s sporting calendar and is held every four year. It is the globe’s third most watched sporting event after the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup. This year’s tournament is being hosted by rugby power house nation New Zealand. The New Zealand, ‘All Blacks’ will be joined by 19 of the World’s finest rugby playing nations. Each country will compete in four ‘Pools’ in their quest to hoist the William Webb Ellis Trophy, at Eden Park, Auckland, on Sunday October 23rd after seven weeks of intense competition.

Each of the four pools consist of five teams, with the top two teams qualifying for the quarter-finals, where it becomes an elimination competition. The pool stage is a round-robin competition of ten games, with each team playing one match against each of the other teams in their group. The teams are awarded four points for a win, two points for a draw and none for a defeat. If a team scores four or more tries in one match, or if a team loses by seven points or less they will score a bonus point.

Sport: Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand – 1st Week in Review is a post from: Anglotopia.net

We’ve had a long relationship here at Anglotopia with Author Mike Harling. Mike is an American expat – or accidental Anglophile as he likes to say – who moved to Britian a few years ago to be with his English wife. He’s been writing about his experiences since on his blog, on Anglotopia (Dispatches from the South) and in his first book Postcards from Across the Pond.

This summer, Mike has come out with a brand new book that continues his expat journey in Britain, aptly title More Postcards from Across the Pond.

This book picks up where the last book left off and continues Mike’s bemusement at the quirks presented to him by life in Britain.

More Postcards from Across the Pond focuses on his home life, work life and we also get to journey with him as he takes advantage of Britain’s generous, pretty much forced, vacation time.

Each chapter is short and easy to read. I’ve always loved Mike’s writing style, which is best described as simple, engaging and often humorous. Mike is not afraid to write about true life in Britain, warts and all. He’s not particularly much of an Anglophile so he really isn’t under Britain’s spell like a lot of us are. So his books provide an excellent insight into what it would be like to live in Britain for real.

My favorite topic he writes about is the process he takes to actually becoming British and taking on British citizenship – a process he enjoys with detached amusement and the joys of government bureaucracy.

It’s quite easy to be jealous of Mike – he’s living the ‘Anglophile Dream’ after all – but after reading his wry observations of life in Britain, I’m rather glad I don’t live there but I’m quite happy to visit as often as possible.

That said, I highly recommend More Postcards from Across the Pond and I very much look forward to Mike’s next inevitable book and I hope that life in Britain continues to entertain him (and us!).

Book Review: More Postcards from Across the Pond by Michael Harling is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Today will be my last working day at Camphill Milton Keynes.  I can’t say that working with adults with disabilities has been harder than I thought it would be.  I knew that it would be challenging.  I knew that it would test the bounds or my patience, and frankly, I think I needed that in my life.  I worked a lot in the weaving workshop, and my sewing skills have been greatly improved by that.

While a year in Camphill or Milton Keynes as a city hasn’t been particularly “British,” there are a couple of things that may cause a culture shock when I return to my home in the US.

Milton Keynes is a very culturally and ethnically diverse city, much more so than my town, and most any other American area with the exception of New York.  On the street where I lived this year, there are a house of Pakistani taxi drivers, two African families with small children, the family that runs the Chinese takeaway, and straight up British folk.  On a trip to the Shopping Centre, I might hear conversations in Hindi, Russian, Korean, Urdu, German, or something else I can’t identify.  Peace Pagoda associated with the Japanese Buddhist temple is a meeting place for yearly festivals that invite and celebrate people of all faiths and races.

They do like their tea breaks here.  And snacks.  During the work week, we break for tea at least twice a day, and perhaps have another cup at lunch and again after supper.  Birthday parties are all the same here, with “packet of crisp” and sausage rolls, something chocolatey and “fizzy drink” to wash it down.  The snacking shows up on every Camphill co-worker’s waistline.

Complaining is a national sport here.  Most of the time, British people address their moans to no one who can help, and receive that golden answer: “Typical!”  Groan and bear it.  However, I have been on a crowded bus, where a woman took the opportunity to call the posted comment line to complain about said crowded bus.  Perhaps some seeds of proactive discontent are growing?

Besides queues and the rules thereof, British people adhere to a lot of unwrittens.  One of these I call the “stick to the path” mentality.  People in Milton Keynes remind me of woodtrolls from “The Edge Chronicles” series by Uk author Paul Brown and illustrator Chris Riddell.  If there is a paved footpath to be found, pedestrians never stray from it.  They don’t take shortcuts through the grass or walk on the traffic island.  Another taboo is to eat and walk.  You would never see anyone (besides this blundering American) eating a sandwich on the go.  Ice cream is the only exception to this rule.

It’s been a great year, full of travel and new experiences.  I’ve got two weeks of backpacking ahead of me.  I managed to book myself into all the places that riots are happening at the moment, and then I’ll be flying back home.

Note: I will probably have lots of videos and pictures to post when I get back home and onto a proper computer.  My netbook proved unsuitable for editing large videos, and I may or may not have lost half a year of material from a corrupted SD card.  Here’s really really hoping that I didn’t.  Meanwhile, please enjoy this video about Camphill that I made in December for the YouTube “Project for Awesome.”

Project for Awesome: Camphill Milton Keynes

Dispatches from Milton Keynes: Reflections on departing Camphill Milton Keynes is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The latest immigration proposals, announced on 13 July 2011, seemingly show a shift in policy from curbing the number of students to impose stringent criteria on family members to join the main applicant in the UK.

The definition of immediate family members in the Immigration Rules is narrower than the one found in the 2006 EEA Regulations as it only comprises spouses, civil and unmarried partners as well as children under the age of 18.  Only migrants settled in the UK are allowed to sponsor their parents and grandparents, however the required threshold is higher, as compassionate and compelling circumstances might need to be evidenced pursuant to paragraph 317 of the Rules.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has shown an almost creative flair in devising ever new ways to achieve the twin goals of routing out abuses and loopholes in the immigration system whilst curbing net migration to the UK. Having expressed serious concerns about the number of migrants who either overstayed their student leave or used the student route to work in the UK, the UKBA recently introduced severe restrictions on the ability of students to be joined by their family members, to extend their leave and to work in the UK. Further, the attractiveness of pursuing a graduate level degree in the UK has been greatly reduced by the inability of future applicants to switch into the Tier 1 Post Study Worker Scheme past April 2012.

The UK Government has also been strongly criticized for abolishing the Tier 1 General Scheme (highly skilled route) on 6 April 2011 and for introducing a cap on Tier 2 migrants (work permit holders).

Until now, the UK has embraced an open door policy for family members who are able to join migrants on limited leave to remain or once they are settled in the UK. In addition, the FCO and UKBA caseworkers are allowed to use their discretion when deciding applications submitted by family members.

Amongst the new proposals the UKBA intends to abolish the right of applicants to appeal against a refusal of a family visit mentioning that the high number of appeals have now become a drain on public resources in a time of recession. As of 9 May 2011 migrants are no longer required to request the UKBA for permission to marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK.  Thus, the proposal for immigration officers to be involved in the day-to-day work of marriage registries following the abolition of the Certificate of Application. This development is somewhat reminiscent of the “primary purpose of marriage”, a policy which the UK Government was forced to abandon due to the challenges brought in the English courts on both race and discrimination grounds.

Other controversial proposals are the prospective introduction of an income threshold as the one already in place for family members of Points Based migrants and to lengthen the probationary period after which a family member is  entitled to apply for settlement in the UK from 2 to 5 years. In addition, the settlement consultation which was launched on 9 June 2011 looks at breaking the link between coming to work in Britain and staying permanently. The main proposals include: capping Tier 1 to five years, applying a more selective process for settlement of Tier 2 holders, tightening of the route for temporary workers under the Tier 5 Schemeby restricting  the length of stay and the right to work and  bring in dependents and in the case of overseas domestic workers remove right to settle or change employer.

For family members, it must be noted that the UK remains a signatory of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and thus any policy which might be seen incompatible with the right of an individual to family and private life will be challenged in the court of law

UK Immigration: Latest UKBA Proposals – UK Visas for Family Members is a post from: Anglotopia.net

From an immigration point of view, it’s undeniable that it makes perfect sense for a foreign investor to enter the UK under the newly revised Tier 1 Entrepreneur category rather than the Tier 1 Investor due to the lower level of funds required to qualify. This article will discuss in details the changes made to this visa category by the UK Border Agency to encourage high net migrants and in particular entrepreneurs to establish their business in the UK. It also explains how to avoid the most common mistakes which might lead to the visa being denied.

On 6 April 2011, the Statement of Changes (863) significantly amended the requirements listed under paragraph 245(DB) of the Immigration Rules. In brief, to qualify under the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Scheme, the prospective applicant will need to claim 75 points under Appendix A as well as satisfy the English language and the maintenance requirements.

Once successful, an entry clearance is granted for 3 years and four months and the applicant will be able to be joined by his/her dependants as well as extend his leave in country for further two years. However, there are certain restrictions, most significantly no employment other than working for the business the applicant has established, joined or taken over in the UK.

We have assisted many applicants and in our experience, we have noted some common misunderstandings and mistakes which might sadly lead to a refusal, but can as easily avoided when the mandatory documents are properly put together.

As mentioned, an applicant must have a minimum of 75 points under paragraph 35-53 of Appendix A. In terms of investment, 25 points can be claimed by either showing that the applicant has access to no less than £200,000, or the applicant has access to no less than £50K from a registered ventured capitalist firms regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), a UK Entrepreneurial seed funding competition which is endorsed on the UK Trade and Investment website or one or more UK Government Departments dealing with new business ventures.

The remaining 50 points can be claimed by providing the necessary evidence to show that the money is held in one or regulated financial institutions (25 points) and that the funds are freely disposable in the UK (25 points).

In some cases, an applicant might have already legally established a business in the UK and as such made an investment in the company. It is therefore important to have a full understanding of the applicant’s immigration history and financial records as the UK Border Agency will accept, if adequately documented, an investment made within the 12 calendar months before the date of application. Again, one has to be very accurate as to what the UK Border Agency understands as to the “date of application”. For out of country cases, this is when the entry clearance fees are paid, however for in country applications, is in fact the date of posting.

Also, often an applicant may wish to rely shares or assets in a company to claim the required 25 points. However, these can be used only once converted to money. If the money is held in different financial institutions, they must ALL be regulated by the FSA or the equivalent home regulator and must provide evidence of this. In our experience, the UK Border Agency will always access the FSA register and for overseas companies not registered with the FSA, they will contact the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) or check the list of central banks on the Bank for International Settlements website.

It is also important to point out that the fact that financial institutions are trading on the stock markets will not be accepted as a guarantee that it is properly regulated.

Finally, the investment must be made within 6 months from the date of entry in the UK. However, there also specific requirements as to the type of investment which will be accepted by the UK Border Agency. For instance, the investment should not be in the form of a Director’s loan unless it is unsecured and subordinated in favour of third party creditors. Investment in property development and managements will not be considered for points. Also, not all businesses will be accepted for the purpose of a Tier 1 Entrepreneur application. Thus, it is essential for the business to be a registered UK office, a UK bank account and subject to UK taxation.

However, as an added incentive, successful entrepreneurs who create 10 jobs for resident workers or have a turnover of £5 million will be able to qualify for settlement on completion of 3 years in the UK.
Further, the UK Government recognises that business people and entrepreneurs might be discouraged by the strict residence criteria for settlement whereby migrants are expected to spend 9 out of 12 months in the UK. The rules have now been relaxed to allow maximum absences of up to 180 days per year.

Finally, there will be a new visitor visa category, the “Prospective Entrepreneur”, introduced to enable applicants to come to the UK to seek funding or to create a team for a business idea. The applicants will have to show that they have access to £50,000 and that a venture capitalist is committed to providing a further £50,000 for their proposed business. Unlike other visitors, prospective entrepreneurs are allowed to switch in country into the Tier 1 Entrepreneur category.

UK Immigration: A Guide to the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa – Investing in Britain is a post from: Anglotopia.net

On 6 April 2011, the UK Border Agency brought into force the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC863) published on 16 March 2011. This article offers a snap shot of the most pervasive makeover of the UK immigration system seen in recent years with a discussion of the new proposals announced today and their likely impact on prospective migrants.

Amongst, the most important changes,the closure of the Tier 1 General Scheme has heralded the shift in UK’s policy from highly skilled migrants to high net migrants. However, Tier 1 G holders who are already in the UK will be able to extend their current status as long as they meet the requirements. The UK Border Agency has, also, decided to keep open the Tier1 (Post-study) Work route at least until April 2012. Under this scheme, foreign graduate students will be allowed to work for a period of two years. However, they will need to have obtained a recognised UK degree or higher qualification from a UK institution while on a student visa before the closure of the Scheme.

In addition, the UK Border Agency hasintroduced a new Tier1 (Exceptional Talent) open for 1000 migrants who have “won international recognition in scientific and cultural field, or who show exceptional promise”. It will be interesting to review the approval rate in the following months.

Finally, in line with the new policy of “rolling out the red carpet” for high net migrants, the UK Governmenthas amended the Immigration Rules to permit absences to 180 days in any 12 months period under the Tier 1 Investor and Tier 1 Entrepreneur Schemes. It has also shortened the qualifying period to 2 and 3 years depending on the amount of funds invested in the UK. It also introduced a lower threshold of £50,000 for entrepreneurs whose funds are received by(i) one or more registered venture capitalist firms regulated by the Financial Services Authority,or (ii) one or more UK Entrepreneurial seed funding competitions which is listed as endorsed on the UK Trade & Investmentwebsite, or(iii) one or more UK Government Departments, and made available by the Department(s) for the specific purpose of establishingor expanding a UK business.

Ona positive note, on 30 April 2011 the Worker Registration Scheme for A8 countries, who joined the European Economic Area in May 2004, was abolished.  Restrictions, however, remain in place for A2 countries, namely Bulgarian and Romanian nationals. Also, on 9 May 2011 the UK Government abolished the requirement to obtain a Certificate of Approval before marrying or enteringa civil partnership in the UK.  This hasnot affected the eligibility criteria to be met for an entry clearanceapplication as a fiancée/proposed civil partner or spouse/ civil partner.

There has been also discussion of introducing a same day service of applications submitted under the 2006 EEA Regulationsas the current processing times can be up to 6 months. However, the plan has been put on hold since it is unclear whether the UK Government would be allowed to lawfully charge for this service. The 2006 EEA Regulations have also been amendedat paragraph 12(b) to implement the European Court of Justice’s ruling onMetock whereby an a non-EEA family member will not need to reside inanotherEU country to qualify for a family permit.

Sadly, the UK Border Agency has also tightened the requirements to apply for settlement in the UK. In particular, applicants for settlement will need to meet a new criminality threshold and anew income requirement to claim 75 points asTier 1 General holders or by showing the appropriate salary as work permit holders and Tier 2applicants  in line with the UKBA Codes of Practice.

Finally, the UK Border Agency has also announced the following proposals:

• re-branding Tier 2 (the skilled worker route) as temporary, ending the assumption that settlement will be available for those who enter on this route;
• allowing certain categories of Tier 2 migrant, for example those earning over £150,000 or occupations of a specific economic or social value to the UK, to retain an automatic route to settlement;
• creating a new category into which, after three years in the UK, the most exceptional Tier 2 migrants may switch and go on to apply for settlement;
• allowing Tier 2 migrants who do not switch into a settlement route to stay for a maximum of five years with the expectation that they and any dependants will leave at the end of that time;
• introducing an English language requirement for adult dependants of Tier 2 migrants applying to switch into a route to settlement;
• restricting the maximum period of leave for Tier 5 Temporary Workers to 12 months; and
• closing or reforming routes for overseas domestic workers.

Again, it appears that the UK Government’s focus is to attract thosemigrants who might be able to to create wealth for the UK economy by shortening their qualifying period for settlement, while making it tougher for other migrants, in particular low skilled/low salary migrants byrebranding them as temporary workers in the UK.

UK Immigration: Latest Policy Updates and new UKBA proposals to End Tier 2 Right to Settlement is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The last few weeks have unveiled a complete rethinking of the immigration system and visa categories in the UK. On 6 April 2011, the Tier 1 General Scheme was abolished whilst the Tier 1 Post Study Work Scheme, after much speculation, was given a 12 months lifeline until April 2012.

The UK Border Agency has also introduced new criteria for Tier 1 Entrepreneurs and an accelerate route for settlement for those entrepreneurs and investors who are willing and able to make a substantial financial contribution to the UK economy.
Under the new 2011-2012 annual limit, employers will now be able to bring only 20,700 people from outside the EU to work in skilled professions under Tier 2 (General) of the points-based system. A further 1,000 visas will be made available to people of ‘exceptional talent’. Radical changes have also affected the student route and is likely that family’s visas will be next on the agenda.

However, this article will only focus on the changes to the settlement criteria and in particular:

• a new criminality requirement for all applicants;
• a new income requirement, and reform of the English language requirement, for those on work routes.

The UK Border Agency has decided to apply a stricter criminality threshold for settlement which means that applicants will need to be free of unspent conviction when applying for settlement as this might lead to their application being refused.
Applicants will need to disclose, among other things, all criminal convictions that have not yet been spent and civil proceedings made against them in the UK or any other country including any criminal convictions for which they have not yet been tried in court. Criminal convictions can include any convictions in a court such as TV licence offences and motoring offences such as drink and driving and road traffic offences but not fixed penalty notices (such as speeding or parking tickets) unless they were given in court.

From 6 April 2011, migrants in these categories can no longer meet the KOL requirement by passing an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualification, unless they are applying for settlement under the UKBA’s transitional arrangements.
In addition, all Tier 2 (General) and Tier 2 (ICT) migrants applying for settlement will need to provide a letter from the Sponsor that issued the Certificate of Sponsorship that led to the applicant’s last grant of leave certifying that (1) they still require the applicant for the employment in question and (2) they are paid at or above the appropriate rate for the job, on the date of application for settlement, as stated in the codes of practice for Tier 2 Sponsors.

Most significantly, Tier 1 General holders will need to comply with paragraph 245CD of the Rules whereby they will need to score 75 points if their last visa was granted before 19 July 2010 or 80 points for applications made post 19 July 2010 in terms of age, academic qualification, earnings and UK experience.

Please note that new forms and new fees are now in operation for settlement application. If you are concerned that you might not meet the provisions listed above or provide the mandatory evidence in support of your application, please feel free to contract us to seek professional legal advice.

UK Immigration: British Settlement and Citizenship Changes and Challenges Ahead is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The U.K. Border Agency has announced the closure of the Tier 1 PSW route. From April 2012, graduate students will no longer be able to apply for leave to remain in the U.K. following the award of their degree unless they have an offer of a graduate job from a sponsoring employer under Tier 2 of the points-based system. The sponsors will have unlimited access to certificates of sponsorships to allocate to migrants. However, applicants must switch to Tier 2 category prior to the expiry of their current Tier 4/Student visa. Migrants will have to meet the Tier 2 requirements, except for the Resident Labour Market Test.

The government has also announced its intention to develop a new entrepreneur route for bright and innovative students who have a business idea and want to make it work in the U.K. The Home Secretary said:

“International students not only make a vital contribution to the U.K. economy, but they also help make our education system one of the best in the world. But it has become very apparent that the old student visa regime failed to control immigration and failed to protect legitimate students from poor-quality colleges. The changes I am announcing today re-focus the student route as a temporary one, available to only the brightest and best. The new system is designed to ensure students come for a limited period, to study, not work, and make a positive contribution while they are here. I am delighted to announce that, alongside our stricter rules, we will ensure that innovative student entrepreneurs who are creating wealth are able to stay in the U.K. to pursue their ideas.”

There will also be an overhaul revamp to the Tier 4 Scheme as follows:

From April 2012, any institution wanting to sponsor students will need to be classed as a Highly Trusted sponsor, and will need to become accredited by a statutory education inspection body by the end of 2012. The current system does not require this, and has allowed too many poor-quality colleges to become sponsors.

Students coming to study at degree level will need to speak English at an “upper intermediate” (B2) level, rather than the current “lower intermediate” (B1) requirement.

U.K. Border Agency staff will be able to refuse entry to students who cannot speak English without an interpreter, and who therefore clearly do not meet the minimum standard.

Students at universities and publicly funded further education colleges will retain their current work rights, but all other students will have no right to work. We will place restrictions on work placements in courses outside universities.

Only postgraduate students at universities and government-sponsored students will be able to bring their dependents. At the moment, all students on longer courses can bring their dependents.

We will limit the overall time that can be spent on a student visa to 3 years at lower levels (as it is now) and 5 years at higher levels. At present, there is no time limit for study at or above degree level.

Unfortunately, the details of will only be fully known after a statement of changes to the Immigration Rules is published on March 31, 2011.

U.K. Immigration: Closure of the Tier 1 Post Study Work route confirmed – Student Visa Reforms is a post from: Anglotopia.net

On December 7, 2010, Damian Green, the Immigration Minister, made the following announcement:

‘This government wants high-calibre students with the genuine desire to study to come to our country to come for temporary periods, and then return home. We want to hear views of our proposals from a wide range of people so that our reforms meet this objective.”

As part of the overall intention to reduce net migration, the U.K. Border Agency also unveiled the closure of the post-study route under Tier 1 Scheme.

However, the Statement of Changes on the Immigration Rules (HC863) published on March 17, 2011 is silent on the abolition of this particular Scheme. The only amendments likely to be introduced are that where the academic institution is removed from one of the relevant lists, points will not be awarded for any award completed after the date the institution was from removed. In addition, points will not be awarded for qualifications obtained while the applicant was in breach of the U.K.’s immigration laws.

Please note that although the Tier 1 Post-Study workers will be able to switch in country under the Tier 2 Scheme, they will not be eligible to switch into the Tier 1 General Scheme, as the transitional arrangement post-April 6, 2011 will only apply to those who already have leave in this capacity or, under the HSMP, writers, composers, artists and self-employed lawyers.

UK Immigration: Tier 1 Post Study Work Scheme Visa News: Good news for prospective applicants! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Earlier this week the government has published a statement of intent outlining major reform to the immigration system focusing on rebalancing the economy by supporting a private-sector-led economic recovery and rewarding those who contribute to the economic growth. The changes will come into effect on 6 April 2011 and will mainly benefit foreign entrepreneurs and investors by giving them an extra incentive to make the UK their main place of residence and invest their money in the economy.

Tier 1 Investor

Migrants coming to the UK under the Investor category will be able to take advantage of an accelerated route to settlement based on the size of their investment in the UK. Those investing £5 million will be eligible to settle in the UK after 3 years, with £10 million investment bringing the minimum residence time down to 2 years instead of 5 under the ‘old’ rules.

The new laws will benefit not only new migrants but also those already in the UK with large investments in place prior to the introduction of the new policy in April 2011.

Tier 1 Entrepreneur

There is also some good news for those with slightly less money who might qualify under the Entrepreneur category. Albeit, the standard investment threshold for an entrepreneur will remain at £200,000 from 6 of April 2011, those with £50,000 in funding from a reputable organisation will also qualify under this category. Moreover, migrants will be allowed to enter the UK with their business partners on the condition that they have access to joint funds. As an added incentive, successful entrepreneurs who create 10 jobs for resident workers or have a turn over of £5 million will be able to qualify for settlement on completion of 3 years in the UK.

Prospective Entrepreneur

From 6 April 2011 there will be a new visitor visa category, ‘Prospective Entrepreneur’, introduced to enable applicants to come to the UK to seek funding or to create a team for a new business idea. The applicants will have to show that they have access to £50,000 and, that a venture capitalist, a UK entrepreneurial seed funding competition or, a government department is committed to providing a further £50,000 for the applicant’s proposed business. Unlike the rest of the visitors, Prospective entrepreneur migrants, will be allowed to switch in-country to a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category subject to meeting the relevant criteria.

Finally, the UK government recognised that investors and entrepreneurs might have been discouraged by the strict residence criteria for settlement whereby migrants were expected to spend no less than 9 out of each 12 months in the UK. The rules will now be relaxed to allow maximum absences of up to 180 days per year.

UK Immigration: Is ‘rolling out the red carpet’ enough to attract more foreign investors and high net worth individuals to the UK? is a post from: Anglotopia.net