Immigration Policy

%$^$*%&*&%*&$

I totally agree with what someone else has said about needing to get the staff to care more before any iniciative can work...

Having *fun* with this at the moment. Some of you may remember that I have recently had to apply for a residency permit so I can buy a house in Holland (Brit living abroad). They said it was going to take 3 months.

I've just called immigration to get an update. They have the application, and have had it for over a month. No they haven't done anything. No they don't care that it's urgent for a change in the law. No they are not expecting to get it complete by March 31st, expect another 6 to 7 months of waiting. Yes they know they can't refuse the application, no that doesn't make it any faster than an application from someone who doesn't have a right to live here because they are EU. And no, please don't call again to check, just wait for us to contact you we will do nothing with your phone call.

*&(*&*(&*(&*&(*&(*@&(*&@

Not pleased...

Stu

Originally Posted by Viney

Being to the home office on many occasions, its easy to see why it does take so long. Everything is paper based. Ferried between offices by courier, none of the offices are linked. It is a nightmare, and will not get better until the entire immigration depratments, and systems are overhauled.

Some years ago I used to have to go to Lunar House in Croydon to get work permits renewed, visas extended etc for clients. It was hell on earth. Mobs and mobs of people, overheated, bored and demotivated staff who couldn't cope with the workload, paper everywhere, files so often lost, it was chaotic. And when they closed, they kicked you out - so you'd have to go back the next day, it was awful. Viney has a good point.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Sythree

Some years ago I used to have to go to Lunar House in Croydon to get work permits renewed, visas extended etc for clients. It was hell on earth. Mobs and mobs of people, overheated, bored and demotivated staff who couldn't cope with the workload, paper everywhere, files so often lost, it was chaotic. And when they closed, they kicked you out - so you'd have to go back the next day, it was awful.

I think Lunar House is the govts way of saying "if you wanna stay here bad enough prove it by putting up with this hell hole!. I also had to go their a few times a couple of years ago to discover why they couldnt get a translator to translate the document they had for 3 months (t was only Spanish to english and 4 lines long....even a bad GCSE student could have got it right ffs!)

the woman i had an appointment with couldnt be found in the building they told me.... i went ot the call box on the wall and called her number (on the letter she sent to confirm apt) and she answered it!!!!. I could see the woman thru the glass partition talking to me, telling me she could not see me now as i had left the building and she was with someone else now. She wasnt. When i left her talking to the fone and walked over and tapped on the glass she almost jumped out her skin.
But she still said "i cant see you toady" and just walked off round the corner.

What a way to treat people eh?

And dont forget this is most "foreigners" first hand dealing with "bristish people" so what kind of imperssion do they get about this country just from that place alone?? Sad really.

Originally Posted by SpideyLid Man

But she still said "i cant see you toady"....................

No need to call you names

Only joking - sounds like a nightmare. Wouldn't want to work there either.

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Jabba-the-Hutt

No need to call you names

Only joking - sounds like a nightmare. Wouldn't want to work there either.

The g/f even writes Toady in cards for crimbo or whatever for me cos i do that one so often.
Doh

A definate yes the uk is only a small island surely only so many can get on it.

[timwilky]

Yes we should have a points based immigration service.

I personally have seen 2 couples employed by an unscrupulous git, who thought because he was dealing with ignorant foreigners he could rip them off.

One couple, South African. She worked as a restaurant manager and her boy friend a chef. He paid them both below the national minimum wage and then docked them each £75 per week for their board/lodgings

Second couple Slovakian, did the same. In both cases my daughter who part timed at this hotel advised them of their rights and assisted them in finding employment with honest people who paid going rates with live in facilities of £25.

So yes for points based if it stops people coming here in ignorance of their rights just to be ripped off. If it were not for immigration our NHS would be on its knees. Although it could also be argued that if we had to make the jobs attractive to the W.A.S.P sector then the NHS would have to pay the salaries that these people deserve.

Immigration is good for the UK. I have worked with some damm clever guys who are first/second generation immigrants. By having a published system it would enable the differentiation between the economic migrant and true asylum seeker. My view, if you are prepared to work and there is work available to you. You are most welcome. If you are in true fear of persecution and the UK is the first safe haven, you are most welcome. If however you wish to sponge off the state, pimp, deal drugs, and extort from your legitimate countrymen trying to make an honest living. Good riddance

A couple of years ago I was in Dubai and witnessed the illegals being deported. From the look of these guys, as the limped through the airport in chains they had all been given a severe reminder that they were not welcome in Dubai. Glad I was there legitamately

[splke]

Bloody too right

I will stop @ that My views maybe a little too RW for some

My 2p worth.. I think the point system may NOT be the solution....
I think for a society to function properly, all areas of functions needs to be covered... ranging from high tech jobs to jobs that most people don't want to know... the fact that the welfare system in this country is far too good, which promotes job selection and some unattractive jobs can't find people to uptake the position. i feel it is only right to have more work force from abroad to fill these unattractive job roles. UK has enough high tech people and by using the point system, only well educated work force are will be allowed into this country... and the consequence of this would be more unemployment in the future and thus putting more burden on the rest of the tax payers to support the country. This proposal comes at the wrong time when many high tech positions in this country are being outsourced to other countries, I believe it will be a huge mistake to follow oz’s point model for this country because the circumstances are different here.

As an export myself (miss Belfast, don't miss London), a lot has to do with what you can afford.

Every country is bad. Bureaucratic red tape and rules and regulations that don't make sense are in every country.

There are three main levels.

Level 1
If you can afford an immagration laywer (or can bung an MP ...... :*) ) the system goes very smoothly. They are professionals that know the system. They know what to say, what not to say and when to say it.

Level 2
You find a third party agency that will do the paperwork for no or minimal cost. Agencys like the CAB or Again they are professionals, but usally overworked and overloaded.

Level 3
You do the paperwork and process yourself. You go round in circles trying to find the right forms and try to submit the best you can. You make mistakes that either send you to the start of the process or get you kicked out of the country.