Brexit chaos and Immigration to the UK

On June 23, 2016, British citizens voted to leave the EU. This is popularly known as Brexit referencing British exit from the EU.

Four years after the Brexit vote, there is still chaos and confusion about what this Brexit will mean in practical terms and for Immigrants currently in the UK, EU Citizens and the UK and general Immigration to the UK.

This confusion and the fact that Brexit is yet to happen has caused chaos within the UK and many governmental duties are being abandoned to continually deal with agreeing a deal with the European Union to effect Brexit.

Many Britons now regret voting in favor of Brexit.

What lead people to vote for Brexit?

Many feel that the reasons why British citizens voted in favor of Brexit was to get rid of immigrants, possible in an attempt of self-preservation, since many felt that immigrants from the EU and the world at large were depleting the UK’s resources in terms of the National Health Service (NHS), the welfare benefit system, the schools and employment.

Britain is a place of many cultures, where immigrants could thrive and feel at home. When you walk through London, you will encounter many faces from different parts and cultures of the world. It was quite warm and welcoming, aside from the weather of course.

So why did British Citizens want to get rid of immigrants in the UK. It would appear this all stems from the hostile environment.

What is the hostile environment?

The word hostile environment was coined by Theresa May when she was the Home Secretary on the 25^th of May 2012, she gave an interview to the telegraph describing her plan for illegal immigration in the UK.

Effects of the hostile environments

There were many laws brought under various polices of the then Home Secretary that promoted the hostile environment. In summary, those policies led to:

Limiting immigrants’ access to

Work in the UK
Housing, including private tenancy
Health care and the NHS
Opening and operating bank accounts
Separating families – by introduction of Appendix FM Rules
Inability of parents to join their children in the UK
Limitation on getting married

The more notable actions that got British Citizens to start thinking more negative about immigrants are:

The Go Home vans that drove through London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Go_Home%22_vans
Asking private landlords to check immigration status of their tenants – “right to rent” policy, causing landlords to discriminate against ethnic minority tenants when they otherwise would not.
Enhanced enforcement in employing immigrants

Notable effects of the Hostile environment:

Windrush scandal: legally resident Commonwealth citizens lost their jobs, health care and dignity
Brexit: UK voted to leave EU
More and more families are separate by the rules and the complexity of interpretation
More deprivation of citizenship

What does all this mean for those looking for immigration to the UK

Despite all that is said and done, the UK remains a good country to live it. It boasts of economic growth before Brexit (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/05/uk-scores-highly-quality-of-life-oecd 6 years ago). Quality of life remains high following Brexit you can review the current assessment of the UK at oecd https://www.oecd.org/unitedkingdom/

As indicated above, immigration was at the heart of the Brexit vote. So when considering immigration to the UK, you should employ the services of the good UK Immigration Lawyer for the following reasons:

UK immigration rules are complex: Many judges in the UK have condemned the complexity of UK Immigration rules. Ordinary people cannot understand the law or how it affects them
Fewer business visas: The UK has drastically reduced visa that are available to Business Owners and Entrepreneurs and there is a cap on skilled migrants.
Application process and procedures are now confusing owing to the recent privatization of the UK immigration process
Applying for a UK visa on your own may prove quite expensive as you may inadvertently purchase serval, confusing , and pointless premium services which are expensive and may still get refused on your application. It would therefore amount to false economy if you are trying to save money by not using a UK immigration lawyer for your application.

Below is a snapshot of current and popular UK visa

UK Spouse visa : – British Citizens and permanent residents can still bring their spouses and partners to the UK. you need to be careful to ensure you set out how you meet the rules. When in doubt, seek the assistance of a UK immigration Lawyer

UK Student visas: The UK remains a desired destination for quality education including those wanting to study in the creative , drama and theater sector . The new government have proposed ways in which students may be able to work in the UK following the completion of their studies.

UK Work visas: The Tier 2 visa is by far the most popular work visa for the United Kingdom. It requires sponsorship by a UK based employer and there are various immigration rules to satisfy. Multinational companies also use the Tier 2 visa to transfer their staff members to the UK. The Tier 2 visa is subject to a cap.

UK Exceptional talent visa: this is a hidden gem that many people including many immigration lawyers do not explore. If you are able to satisfy the criteria you can enter the UK for the purpose of employment without actually having an employer sponsor you.

UK Ancestry visa: this remains a good visa for those from commonwealth countries whose grandparents where born in the UK

Available business visa: Sole Representative visa

It is prudent to consult a UK Immigration lawyer before making any application to the UK.