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| Immigration policy tearing families apart, report shows | Immigration policy tearing families apart, report shows |
| (4 months later) | |
| A cross-party group of MPs has called for an urgent review of new immigration rules, which they claim are tearing hundreds of British families apart. | A cross-party group of MPs has called for an urgent review of new immigration rules, which they claim are tearing hundreds of British families apart. |
| Their inquiry report shows that a new minimum earnings rule of £18,600 a year, which came into effect last July, has meant that thousands of British citizens, including people with full-time jobs, have been unable to bring a non-European husband, wife or partner to live with them in Britain. | Their inquiry report shows that a new minimum earnings rule of £18,600 a year, which came into effect last July, has meant that thousands of British citizens, including people with full-time jobs, have been unable to bring a non-European husband, wife or partner to live with them in Britain. |
| A dossier drawn from submissions by 175 individual families affected by the rule includes the case of an Australian who works as a £250,000-a-year chief financial officer of a multinational company in Dubai and has a £3.5m property in Britain. He is not eligible to live with his British wife and children in the UK under the new rule, because she is not employed and his overseas earnings do not count. | A dossier drawn from submissions by 175 individual families affected by the rule includes the case of an Australian who works as a £250,000-a-year chief financial officer of a multinational company in Dubai and has a £3.5m property in Britain. He is not eligible to live with his British wife and children in the UK under the new rule, because she is not employed and his overseas earnings do not count. |
| The dossier also includes examples of elderly couples who are being denied the chance to retire in Britain or face separation because their earnings fall short of the £18,600 threshold. The threshold rises to £22,400 if the couple have a child, and rises by £2,400 for every extra child. | The dossier also includes examples of elderly couples who are being denied the chance to retire in Britain or face separation because their earnings fall short of the £18,600 threshold. The threshold rises to £22,400 if the couple have a child, and rises by £2,400 for every extra child. |
| The inquiry report by the all-party parliamentary group on migration, published on Monday, says the requirement that only the earnings of the UK sponsor can usually be counted has meant that high-earning individuals and families with significant resources have been prevented from living in Britain. | The inquiry report by the all-party parliamentary group on migration, published on Monday, says the requirement that only the earnings of the UK sponsor can usually be counted has meant that high-earning individuals and families with significant resources have been prevented from living in Britain. |
| The MPs say the income threshold has also led to many young children being separated from one of their parents, including a breastfeeding mother who was separated from her baby. | The MPs say the income threshold has also led to many young children being separated from one of their parents, including a breastfeeding mother who was separated from her baby. |
| The former Liberal Democrat children's minister, Sarah Teather, said the new rules on family migration showed that the government was far from meeting its pledge to support family life in Britain: "During the course of the inquiry we heard from many families in which British children are being made to grow up away from a parent, or where families had been forced to move overseas in order to be together. Whatever the objective of the policy, children shouldn't suffer as a result. Now is the time to take another look at the policy." | The former Liberal Democrat children's minister, Sarah Teather, said the new rules on family migration showed that the government was far from meeting its pledge to support family life in Britain: "During the course of the inquiry we heard from many families in which British children are being made to grow up away from a parent, or where families had been forced to move overseas in order to be together. Whatever the objective of the policy, children shouldn't suffer as a result. Now is the time to take another look at the policy." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman, Baroness Sally Hamwee, who chaired the inquiry, said it had also shown that a previous route under which elderly relatives, including grandparents, were cared for in Britain by their families had now all but closed. The report shows that one elderly dependent relative visa was granted between July and October last year. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman, Baroness Sally Hamwee, who chaired the inquiry, said it had also shown that a previous route under which elderly relatives, including grandparents, were cared for in Britain by their families had now all but closed. The report shows that one elderly dependent relative visa was granted between July and October last year. |
| The restrictions on family migration were introduced by Home Office ministers as part of the drive to reduce net migration to Britain down to the "tens of thousands". A Home Office spokesperson said the family rules had been designed to make sure that those coming to the UK to join their spouse or partner would not become a burden on the taxpayer and would be well enough supported to integrate effectively. | The restrictions on family migration were introduced by Home Office ministers as part of the drive to reduce net migration to Britain down to the "tens of thousands". A Home Office spokesperson said the family rules had been designed to make sure that those coming to the UK to join their spouse or partner would not become a burden on the taxpayer and would be well enough supported to integrate effectively. |
| "High-value migrants would not be refused because their British spouse or partner was not employed. They can meet the income threshold by having cash savings of £62,500 or through their own private income, for example from investments. We have also introduced greater flexibility for those holding investments to liquidate them into cash in order to meet the rules," they said. | "High-value migrants would not be refused because their British spouse or partner was not employed. They can meet the income threshold by having cash savings of £62,500 or through their own private income, for example from investments. We have also introduced greater flexibility for those holding investments to liquidate them into cash in order to meet the rules," they said. |
| A Home Office impact assessment estimated that up to 17,800 fewer family visas from outside the European economic area would be issued each year as a result of the income threshold rule. | A Home Office impact assessment estimated that up to 17,800 fewer family visas from outside the European economic area would be issued each year as a result of the income threshold rule. |
| Examples given to the inquiry of families being split apart by the new rules include: | Examples given to the inquiry of families being split apart by the new rules include: |
| • Rachel: "I am a British citizen and my partner is Albanian. I'm not able to sponsor him, as I am still studying and not earning over £18,600. Our baby is now two months old, but his father has only seen him via Skype." | • Rachel: "I am a British citizen and my partner is Albanian. I'm not able to sponsor him, as I am still studying and not earning over £18,600. Our baby is now two months old, but his father has only seen him via Skype." |
| • Hannah: "Currently, I'm £17 a month short of the financial requirement … I served in the British army for nine and a half years, have a first-class honours degree and my husband is also degree-educated and currently earning more than I do in the US." | • Hannah: "Currently, I'm £17 a month short of the financial requirement … I served in the British army for nine and a half years, have a first-class honours degree and my husband is also degree-educated and currently earning more than I do in the US." |
| • Sarah: "As a clinically skilled NHS nurse, I'm earning only £14,153 a year in my full-time post. I have been with my partner for three years and unless I leave my nursing job – leaving behind my pension and my career path – and look for something else that pays better, I currently have no chance of having our application approved." | • Sarah: "As a clinically skilled NHS nurse, I'm earning only £14,153 a year in my full-time post. I have been with my partner for three years and unless I leave my nursing job – leaving behind my pension and my career path – and look for something else that pays better, I currently have no chance of having our application approved." |
| • Anon: "I have been here in Australia for 45 years and I wanted to spend these later years in my home country, which is Scotland. We got a shock when my Australian husband of 43 years applied for a visa. We intended buying a house in Scotland and we have more than enough money to keep ourselves … We have decided to stay here in Australia as we feel we now don't want to go to a country that obviously does not want us." | • Anon: "I have been here in Australia for 45 years and I wanted to spend these later years in my home country, which is Scotland. We got a shock when my Australian husband of 43 years applied for a visa. We intended buying a house in Scotland and we have more than enough money to keep ourselves … We have decided to stay here in Australia as we feel we now don't want to go to a country that obviously does not want us." |
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