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Despite having worked as a teaching fellow here and having a job offer and a British wife, the UKBA wants me out
When I聽came to the UK from Canada in 2009 to study for a geography PhD at the University of Leicester, I聽saw it as the beginning of a new life here. I聽had been married to a UK citizen since 2004 鈥 my wife is currently completing her PhD at the University of Warwick 鈥 and I聽dreamed of a future working in British higher education, which has such a high reputation internationally.
Until recently, things had been going extremely well. As expected, my supervisors at Leicester were excellent and, after finishing my (self-funded) PhD in late 2012, I聽proudly took up my first full-time academic job as a teaching fellow in the same department.
In addition to lecturing and marking, I 鈥 like many young academics on temporary contracts 鈥 spent a great deal of time applying for my next job. Shortly before my contract expired in July 2013, I聽applied for a lectureship at the University of Brighton; after much preparation and a very intense interview process, I聽was offered the job. Honestly, it was one of聽the happiest moments of my life.
I聽have also built a good life in a Leicester community that I聽care about. Every morning I聽walk my dog in Victoria Park; when I聽can, I聽take the train to visit relatives and friends in Watford, York or elsewhere. But all this is about to change because of the curious policies of the UK Border Agency.
糖心Vlog
In August, Brighton informed me that, in accordance with UK policy on hiring foreigners, it was obliged to readvertise my position (any hiring of a non-European Union worker requires a minimum length of time advertised and a minimum number of EU candidates interviewed). After a long, unpaid wait, I聽was informed in mid-September that I聽was still the preferred candidate. So I聽began working with Brighton staff to prepare for the start of the academic year while also starting on another long and expensive work visa application: my third in nine months.
The application was completed, submitted and paid for, and I arranged an appointment for the collection of my biometric data (which must be made from outside the country) to be done near my family home in Toronto. With a packed bag and plane ticket in hand, I聽headed to London for a聽family funeral the day before my flight.
糖心Vlog
That evening 鈥 three weeks after the start of term 鈥 I聽received an email from Brighton stating that, because of the UKBA鈥檚 rules, I聽would not be granted a work visa. Because I聽had already had a work visa in the past 12 months, I聽was ineligible to apply again until mid-July 2014. Or to put it a different way, I聽hadn鈥檛 been unemployed long enough to be employed.
When I聽tell people that the UKBA would not allow me to apply for a visa even though I聽had been offered a job, they cannot believe it. I, however, think it鈥檚 all too predictable. I聽have been feeling the increasing weight of the UKBA on my back since I聽first began hearing 鈥 almost as soon as I聽arrived 鈥 that international students were to be subject to additional monitoring. This, of course, has been manifested in various ways, most chillingly in the plans by the universities of Ulster and Sunderland to subject international students to聽biometric fingerprinting.
At the same time, post-study work visas have been abolished, and universities have been tacitly discouraged from hiring foreign academics 鈥 even those trained in the UK 鈥 through the imposition of a series of arcane challenges such as those I聽experienced regarding my non-EU citizenship. And when that does not work 鈥 when a 鈥渇oreigner鈥 like me manages to provide exactly what a department needs in a teacher or a lecturer 鈥 it turns out that the bureaucracy may still slam the door shut. The 12-month 鈥渃ooling-off鈥 period, as it is called, is essentially a bar to foreign early career academics like me ever establishing themselves in the UK.
The problem is exacerbated by the neo-liberal reformism that is forcing universities to behave like large corporations. Year-long positions have been replaced by nine- or 10-month contracts such as the one I聽was on at Leicester, and no university will hire someone months early simply to avoid the UKBA pitfalls created by a gap in employment.
So, despite all my connections to the UK, despite all the money I聽have put into the economy without taking a penny of public funds, I聽must now leave the country. My career has been set back and, drowning in debt, I聽will return to my parents鈥 home, the home I聽moved away from in 1999, while my wife remains here to complete her degree and her viva voce. The break-up of our family will, of course, put a great deal of financial and emotional strain on us both.
There is no appeals process against the UKBA鈥檚 decision, and Brighton has already offered the lectureship to someone else. I聽have no hope of regaining it. But Britons deserve to know that their universities are being undermined, their students sold short, and people鈥檚 lives disrupted by a combination of an immigration crackdown and a neoliberal management agenda that flies in the face of freedom and academic integrity.
Adam Barker was a teaching fellow at the University of Leicester.
The UKBA bungled my application, and it cost me a job
The government is speaking out of both sides of its mouth: it claims it wants people to come to study and work here, but it makes it very difficult for them to do so
糖心Vlog
Winning a studentship in 2006 to fund my PhD at a London university felt like a dream come true.
The timing was perfect: I聽was teaching part-time at a Canadian university but I聽wanted to do something that would build my career; a聽personal relationship was coming to an end; and I聽was frustrated with the limited arts and social scene in my home city.
The studentship covered the fees and the cost of the research equipment I聽needed for my studies in creative technology, but I聽knew I鈥檇 need to find a job to cover living expenses.
I聽got two interviews straight away and was offered a job at a different, nearby university. The money was decent enough, albeit low in comparison with similar jobs in Canada.
So I聽started the exciting and slightly daunting process of uprooting and moving my whole life to the UK. After 20 years in Canada, it felt like a huge move.
My first visa took about six weeks to arrive, which meant that I聽had to start the job three weeks late 鈥 but this was nothing compared with the problems that were to come.
I聽was happy for the first few years of my PhD. However, the focus of my research changed over time, and I聽realised that I聽was teaching something I聽didn鈥檛 really care about any more.
I聽wanted to work in a department that would bring greater value to my research and where my work would be more appreciated.
Thus, it was wonderful news when, in July 2008, the university where I was studying for my PhD offered me the opportunity to develop and run a master鈥檚 programme. I聽made an application for a Tier聽2 visa with my prospective new employer. This is when the problems really started.
The UK Border Agency bungled my application and twice returned it to me (I聽couldn鈥檛 afford the cost of making an appointment to see someone). It demanded money even though I聽had already paid. For four months, I聽struggled to sort out the problem. Eventually I聽spoke to my MP and sought legal advice.
By this time, I聽was getting nervous 鈥 I聽knew that the university offering me the job couldn鈥檛 wait for ever. Meanwhile, my current contract was coming to an end and my employer wanted to know whether I聽was leaving or whether I聽wanted my yearly contract renewed. With my immigration status in limbo, I聽feared that I聽could end up losing both jobs and being sent back to Canada unemployed. In the end, my would-be employers had to rescind their offer because they couldn鈥檛 wait any longer. The only consolation was that my current employers said they鈥檇 take care of the UKBA鈥檚 requirements if I聽agreed to stay.
My passport was finally returned to me in November 2008. It came with a new Tier聽2 visa, but when I聽opened it I saw that it was for the job I鈥檇 wanted at the university where I was studying 鈥 a job that was no longer available. I聽was devastated. However, my employer assured me that everything would be OK, and I聽went back to my MP to seek her support. Nevertheless, one month later, I聽was told that I聽was working illegally and that my employer would have to terminate my contract and rehire me. The university agreed to do this, so I聽lived on my holiday pay while I聽awaited the arrival of yet another Tier聽2 visa.
Christmas was now approaching, but as I聽was without a passport there was no prospect of returning to Canada to spend time with my family. On Christmas Eve, six months after I鈥檇 been offered the job I wanted 鈥 after three visa applications, after winning and then losing a new job, after managing to keep my old job and then having my contract terminated 鈥 I聽received a call from a UKBA officer. He processed my application in just two hours. By 4 January 2009, I聽had my old job back 鈥 the one I聽had wanted to leave.
But I聽would later discover that the one-month career break carried a further cost.
A few years after this, I聽was awarded my PhD. I聽also met my current partner, someone I聽consider the love of my life. I聽had many reasons to stay here and wanted to apply for settlement 鈥 and I聽should have been entitled to apply for it after five years鈥 working and paying taxes in this country. I聽discovered, however, that the break in my contract had wiped out this opportunity and that it would be another five years 鈥 the end of 2014 鈥 before I聽could apply again.
Fast forward to January 2014. I聽have made a new life for myself in the UK and new and excellent connections, networks and friends. A聽lawyer has told me that I聽could fight for settlement status, using the evidence I聽collected from the 2008 visa botch 鈥 but it will take more than six months and a lot of money, up to 拢5,000.
I聽am still in the same job. I鈥檝e had numerous interviews over the past two years, and on several occasions I鈥檝e been told that I聽just missed out to another candidate.
But I鈥檝e started to notice some changes in the job advertisements in the past few years. It now seems that many vacancies are fractional posts, for which a foreigner cannot get sponsorship. The advertisements also increasingly state that 鈥渙nly those who are allowed to work in this country should apply鈥. At first I聽thought this meant that you had to get a work visa, but I鈥檝e since learned that this means you may apply only if you are from the UK or the European Union or already have settlement status.
More recently, some online applications have asked candidates to indicate whether or not they need a certificate of sponsorship. In some cases, when you tick this box a message pops up stating that you will not be considered. This seems like blatant discrimination.
I聽have heard that many universities are now reserving such sponsorship for higher-level readers or professors rather than for 鈥渓owly鈥 lecturers and senior lecturers. This is disheartening, and it seems to limit the very nature of academia 鈥 surely bringing a variety of experts from around the world enriches the experience of students here in the UK.
I聽have friends in academia who can tell similar stories. One got married when she started a new post and moved to her new home near the university in Yorkshire a couple of years ago, only to be told that the institution had exceeded its quota for certificates of sponsorship and had to terminate her contract. She was no longer eligible for settlement, even though she鈥檇 spent almost a decade working in this country.
There seems to be no consistency in the application of the rules, and no preference for people who have contributed to the country and who are highly skilled 鈥 the very people the government claims it wants to attract. The government is guilty of speaking out of both sides of its mouth: while it claims that it wants people to come to study and work here, it makes it very difficult for them to do so. Ministers also say they want to invest in science and technology, my area of expertise, yet this doesn鈥檛 seem to count for anything when applying for a visa.
Apart from my work and visa woes, I鈥檓 happy here and I聽hope to stay, contributing to the economy and paying my taxes. However, faced with a bureaucratic and expensive system that seems to not value foreign academics, and with discriminatory hiring practices, I聽may well end up taking my expertise elsewhere. If I聽don鈥檛 get settlement status, I聽will leave and it will be the UK鈥檚 鈥 and my students鈥 鈥 loss. On many days, I聽think I聽simply don鈥檛 want to wait it out any longer in a place that doesn鈥檛 value me.
The author is a lecturer in digital media at a UK university.
糖心Vlog
The process of obtaining a visa is long, convoluted and expensive. And now, the vitriol, the political rhetoric of anti-immigration, shouts at students to get out
糖心Vlog Secretary Theresa May鈥檚 expressed desire to create a 鈥榟ostile environment鈥 for illegal immigrants has a psychological effect on legal migrants, too
The UK government claims to be supportive of international students. Recent campaigns have stressed a desire to expand student numbers and to attract 鈥渢he brightest and the best鈥 to the country. Yet increasingly, UK immigration policy is creating a hostile environment from which foreign students recoil.
I聽should know: I聽was one of them. I聽came to the UK in 2009 on a student visa. The process of obtaining it was long, convoluted and expensive; if I聽hadn鈥檛 won an amazing scholarship to the University of Cambridge, I聽think this alone would have acted as a major deterrent. But while that process has got no easier in the subsequent four years, post-graduation opportunities are now fewer and the general environment towards immigrants has got a lot harsher.
The government phased out its post-study work visa in 2012, which used to allow international students the right to work for two years in the UK. Now there is the graduate entrepreneur visa (requiring 鈥済enuine and credible鈥 business ideas) and the sponsorship visa (requiring employer sponsorship).
In practice, these visas fail to enable international students to stay on after studies. As 糖心Vlog recently reported, just 119 one-year graduate entrepreneur visas were issued in the scheme鈥檚 first 12 months. Similarly, I聽know no one who has been successful in securing a sponsorship visa. The ugly truth is that most companies don鈥檛 sponsor 鈥 and when they do, it鈥檚 not recent graduates they are looking to hire.
The decline in student immigration since the visa changes were enacted suggests that they are actively discouraging international students from studying in the UK. According to the 糖心Vlog Office, in the year ended March 2013, there was a 9 per cent reduction in the number of study visas issued. Study-related admissions for the year ended June 2012 fell by 30 per cent compared with the previous 12 months.
鈥淭he hard part about the whole visa situation is that the ease of obtaining a student visa contrasts significantly with the difficulty of obtaining a work visa,鈥 says my friend Deanie Vallone, a Cambridge graduate who was recently forced to leave the UK because, unlike me, she graduated after the new work visa rules came into effect.
鈥淚t鈥檚 frustrating that after putting all of this time, energy and money into educating me at one of the world鈥檚 best universities, it鈥檚 nearly impossible for me to secure a work visa in my field.鈥
This is a sentiment I聽hear echoed again and again.
Filling in paperwork, being fingerprinted and spending months without a passport are a small price to pay to study in such an amazing country. Yet students choose their universities with an eye towards future careers. While studying, they build connections, but by in effect closing the door to work after graduation, current UK policy renders these networks useless to international students.
Universities could help their international students by providing immigration and visa guidance 鈥 including before students arrive. While I聽was at Cambridge, the career centre would regularly host talks detailing the latest immigration reforms. I聽can鈥檛 praise this process enough. But universities can do only so much. The sad reality is that since I鈥檝e arrived, the UK overall has become less friendly to foreigners.
The government says it wants to crack down on illegal immigration while keeping international students. But that hasn鈥檛 stopped it from recently announcing that international students will be charged to use the NHS. Besides, things don鈥檛 work like that. Initiatives such as the 糖心Vlog Office Twitter account鈥檚 depiction of raids on 鈥渋llegal鈥 foreign workers, the bus advertisements (albeit later repented of) ordering illegal immigrants to 鈥済o home!鈥 and 糖心Vlog Secretary Theresa May鈥檚 expressed desire to create a 鈥渉ostile environment鈥 for illegal immigrants all have their psychological effect on legal migrants, too.
Many of my friends have already left. Many are theoretically those immigrants the UK wants to keep. They came here legally. They attended one of England鈥檚 leading universities. They love the UK. Yet the vitriol, the political rhetoric of anti-immigration, shouts at them to get out.
The campaign of hate doesn鈥檛 just affect students here today. It filters into the future. The other day, I聽found myself standing in front of a group of American students. They were asking me if I鈥檇 recommend studying or working in England. I聽really wanted to say 鈥測es鈥. But I聽couldn鈥檛, because I聽knew what it鈥檚 like to be a foreigner here. 鈥淵ou can try,鈥 I聽responded. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 going to be hard.鈥
Danae Mercer is a freelance journalist and writer living in London.
Eminent, elderly, expressly invited鈥nd rejected: organisers of academic conferences in the UK are dismayed by the rise in visa refusals
Bringing the world鈥檚 top anthropology conference to the UK for the first time since 1934 was quite a coup.
So organisers of the World Congress of the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, held in Manchester in August, were disappointed to not receive more support from the British embassies and border agencies that decided which scholars would get a visa.
Nine academics and one spouse were refused a visa, while several others obtained permission to attend only after appeals and intervention by the British Academy.
鈥淥ne academic from a large research laboratory in India was refused a visa because he had a minor tear in the laminate cover of his passport,鈥 says John Gledhill, professor of social anthropology at the University of Manchester.
鈥淭hankfully, the British Academy helped the authorities see reason in that case,鈥 he adds.
But several highly respected anthropologists were denied permission to travel to the UK for the event.
鈥淭he most outrageous case was of two retired Egyptian academics of advanced age. They had attended every congress since the 1960s, but were told they couldn鈥檛 come because they wanted to seek work in the UK,鈥 Gledhill says.
Other academics from universities in India, Bangladesh and Russia were denied visas for similar reasons, he reports.
鈥淚t is ridiculous to think people will give up tenured academic positions to come here and seek casual work.鈥
More than 1,200 delegates attended the congress, which, organisers say, contributed more than 拢3 million to the Manchester economy, although Gledhill believes a further 500 potential attendees were deterred by visa problems.
The level of financial information requested by officials is also likely to put off some potential visitors because the questioning is 鈥渜uite intrusive鈥, Gledhill adds.
Conference organisers automatically filter out potentially bogus scholars because they will be looking at academics鈥 credentials and their research papers, he says.
鈥淚聽cannot think of a single case where someone has come to an international conference and then become an illegal immigrant,鈥 he says.
鈥淭hese conferences are big business 鈥 the university itself earned 拢250,000 from it 鈥 so we are really shooting ourselves in the foot by not welcoming scholars here, as well as poisoning our academic relations with other universities.鈥
The recent refusal of a visa to the eminent Algerian historian Sid-Ahmed Kerzabi has also proved contentious.
Kerzabi, a former director of both the Tassili n鈥橝jjer National Park, a world heritage site in the Sahara, and of the Bardo Museum in Algiers, was due to give the keynote lecture at a workshop at All Souls College, Oxford, in October, but the 81-year-old was told that there was 鈥渋nsufficient proof that he was not planning to settle in Britain鈥.
鈥淲e could have appealed the decision and maybe won, but he said this sort of thing is insulting, and he was not interested in coming any more,鈥 says the event鈥檚 organiser, Alexander Morrison, lecturer in imperial history at the University of Liverpool.
Morrison believes that the incident is symptomatic of hardened attitudes towards scholars seeking to enter the UK for academic conferences. The British Academy and the Royal Society report that their fellows have raised several concerns about visas for academics being unfairly denied.
The 糖心Vlog Office says that it is keen to encourage academic visits, but rules must be obeyed.
But Morrison believes that the refusals, as well as delays in processing the visas that are granted, are doing much reputational damage to the UK. 鈥淚t puts out the image that we are unwelcoming and not interested in intellectual exchange 鈥 too many countries are all too willing to believe Britain is an arrogant country.鈥
糖心Vlog
Jack Grove
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