Plans outlining the criteria to earn enough points to stay permanently in the United Kingdom were revealed by the Government today.
The new points based test for citizenship - an extension of the already successful Australian-style points based system - will give migrants points for building up different attributes and skills. Proposals launched in the new consultation would reward for economic contributions, skills and English language proficiency above the level already expected. Points would be removed and citizenship delayed for those breaking the law or committing anti-social behaviour.
A points based test for citizenship will give the Government more control over the numbers of people permitted to settle here permanently, allowing the bar for settlement to be raised or lowered depending on the needs of the country and the economy.
A points based test for citizenship will give the Government more control over the numbers of people permitted to settle here permanently, allowing the bar for settlement to be raised or lowered depending on the needs of the country and the economy.
One of the key principles of the earned citizenship system is building community cohesion, by encouraging community involvement through 'active citizenship'.
Government wants to support integration by encouraging more of activities in which migrants contribute to the community. That is why a migrant's journey to citizenship will speed up if they conduct voluntary or civic work.
Under the current system those wanting citizenship have to pass a Life in the UK test to demonstrate both their knowledge of the country and their ability to speak English. The Government intends to present further a new two-stage system. This will focus on practical information about life in the United Kingdom at probationary level, and then a further test at the final level stage with ask issues related to more challenging topics like history and politics.
I t is appreciable that Government is playing a role in managing negative impacts on developing countries.
Britain has really set up difficult point system for the people to immigrate.But now people will take part in community activities.
ReplyDeletedon't u think pal, that it will be a constant struggle to remain in britain.
ReplyDeletewell i think they are trying to put some pressure on immigrants to take part in activities.
ReplyDeletewell to be honest i think if you are taking british citizenship then u will have to act under the national policies of britain that means u will have to be follow and take part with britishers in community and cultural events.
ReplyDeletemay be british government is right ,but atleast it should give permanant citizenship after specific time
ReplyDeleteIt is true that UK needs tough immigration regulations, how much a small country can accommodate. SO many students have entered the UK in last one year with no genuine aim to study that it is making tough for the authorities to control. Some of the Bangladeshi students even took a demonstration to Downing Street that they want the refund from the shoddy colleges which had issued them visa letters to secure the UK visa. It is strange..... an advanced country like UK is not able to manage its immigration system. All know British are the best management people. You never know that this must be their strategy to boost their economy.
ReplyDeletepoint based system is good. It not only controls the number of immigrants to the country but also states that it is not easy to be a part of Britain, there by increasing the importance of nation and precisely states that immigrants should respect the culture and lifestyle they have maintained.
ReplyDeleteSome colleges in the UK plan legal fight against tougher UK student visa (tier 4) rules: The legal action is a response to fears that the education sector in the UK could lose up to £400 million in income, which could lead to job losses, as a result of tighter English language requirements for people applying to study in the UK. English UK plans to seek a judicial review of the rules and regulations that prevent international students with only basic English from moving to the UK temporarily to do an English language course. Studying English in the UK has been a popular option for many international students and many English language schools have been recruiting international students in very good numbers for years. These schools generate large amount of money providing employment for hundreds of people. English UK says that proposing that students are already competent at English before they apply for a UK visa to study English is a blunder. It claims that as many as 100,000 students will be deterred from studying in the UK as a result of the tougher requirements, resulting in a loss of £400 million in income and 3,400 teaching jobs. English UK adds that universities will also suffer as they recruit up to 70 per cent of their students from English language courses.
ReplyDeleteNot only students from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal are affected but students from Africa also being rejected by the UK Consulates. Here is the news report- source http://www.newvision.co.ug.
ReplyDeleteUGANDANS intending to study in the UK will have to meet stricter visa entry conditions, according to the British High Commission. UK entry clearance manager Susanah Richmond told journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala yesterday that students going to study below degree level will only work 10 hours a week, down from 20 hours.
Those intending to study for less than six months, will no longer be allowed to take their dependants along with them, she said.
Dependants of students taking a course lower than degree level will not be allowed to work.
Furthermore, students must also have a good command of the English language, Richmond said.
This is the second time in a space of one year that the UK is tightening guidelines for students.
Under the system introduced early last year, students are required to prove that they have been accepted onto a course run by a UK Border Agency licensed education institution.
They also have to prove that they can support themselves in the UK.
Richmond also disclosed that the number of Ugandans applying for visas to the UK had declined from 9,000 in 2008 to 7,900 last year.
The decline is attributed to the closure of the UK visa office in Kampala, in a restructuring which saw local applicants have their visas processed in Kenya or Ethiopia.
Richmond said visa applications should continue to be made at their visa facilitation services at Communications House in Kampala as has been the case before.
“As is currently the case, visa applications will be processed within 15 working days,” said Richmond.
She also defended the high visa fees charged to unsuccessful applicants saying, “The money is used to process the application.”
Data estimates from the UK High Commission in Uganda show that a total of 8,000 Ugandans applied for visas to the UK in 2007, the figure increased to an estimated 9,000 in 2008, but declined to the current estimates of 7,900 last year.
Richmond explained that 50% of visa applications to UK were rejected in 2009.
“Half of those who applied were issued visas, it’s a 50, 50%,” said Richmond.
She said a bigger number of Ugandans apply for visitor’s visa, followed by those applying as students and others applying to join husband, wife or partner in the UK.
UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson while announcing the guidelines in London said “We want foreign students to come here to study, not to work illegally, and today we have set out necessary steps which will maintain the robustness of the system we introduced last year. I make no apologies for that.”