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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Filipina Care Worker Shown On TV Abusing Elderly R...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Filipina Care Worker Shown On TV Abusing Elderly R...: Cynthia Barker writes...Sickening to see secretly filmed abuse of residents in nursing homes and, oh my god...one of the care support worker...

Filipina Care Worker Shown On TV Abusing Elderly Residents

Cynthia Barker writes...Sickening to see secretly filmed abuse of residents in nursing homes and, oh my god...one of the care support workers is a Filipina.

BBC's Panorama showed several carers mistreating, abusing and assaulting vulnerable residents in two large nursing homes.

Residents were filmed calling for help to go to the toilet for hours - whilst staff apparently watched the X Factor - and some were insulted, pulled about roughly and even slapped by aggressive car workers.

One of the workers featured, a Filipino called Lorna, treated frail patients with no regard for their dignity, calling one lady a "bitch", which is totally alien to the culture of care in the Philippines. It's a pity that one rogue can undermine the reputation of the thousands of Filipino workers in the UK who do a fantastic job.

The CQC, the body which regulates the care industry, highlighted staff shortages in one of the nursing homes, which does not surprise me. Nursing and care agencies now have to recruit staff from EU countries like Romania and Bulgaria, despite high unemployment in the UK.

Ever since the Home Office changed the Immigration Rules on work permits employers have struggled to recruit qualified care staff.

Proper training is clearly an issue, as staff are making basic errors and not following safe procedures, such as using a hoist. Care training, such as QCF (NVQ) diplomas in Health and Social Care and Apprenticeships in care, and ongoing mandatory training in moving and handling, are vital to improve standards in nursing homes.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Home Office Approves UK Visa for Jamaican Kidney D...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Home Office Approves UK Visa for Jamaican Kidney D...: Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from a cloudy Monday in in London. The Home Office finally approved a UK visa application for Keiha Rus...

Home Office Approves UK Visa for Jamaican Kidney Donor - eventually

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from a cloudy Monday in in London. The Home Office finally approved a UK visa application for Keiha Rusthton, the Jamaican Sister of Oliver Cameron, who is suffering from Kidney failure in Britain and will die unless he is matched with a Kidney Donor.

Oliver Cameron, from Stoke Newington in north-east London, has to undergo dialysis three times a day and has been off work for two years whilst awaiting a donor.

His sister is a perfect donor match, was refused a visa to travel to the UK from Jamaica to donate the organ because Home Office entry clearance officer (ECO) felt she would not return home or overstay her visa.

Following a blaze of publicity, the Home Office has since reversed the decision and Keiha has arrived in the UK.

She told BBC News that she has no intentions of overstaying her visa in the UK and has a life back in Jamaica where she has 7 children and a fiance.

British Embassy ECO's are always cautious about issuing visitor visas to applicants from poorer countries where there is little financial incentive to return home before their visa expires.

In this case, what if the donor, god forbid, developed complications and need further treatment? How would it look if the Home Office tried to deport her while she was sick and would die back home?

Whilst I'm sure she has no intentions of remaining in the UK any longer than her visa term, the Home Office has probably had past experience where similar cases have turned into appeals and human rights campaigns to remain in the UK. Many Tier 4 students have come in on temporary student visas and then stayed on in the UK after getting married or having a child, although that was not their original intention when they submitted their visa application.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: How To Waste £500 Million On An 'e borders, System...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: How To Waste £500 Million On An 'e borders, System...: Cynthia Barker writes…Unbelievable! The Home Office has blown £500m on a computer system for its ‘e-Borders’ control programme - to check ...

How To Waste £500 Million On 'e borders' System That Cannot Control Immigration Or Visa Overstayers


Cynthia Barker writes…Unbelievable! The Home Office has blown £500m on a computer system for its ‘e-Borders’ control programme - to check everybody coming in and out of Britain – but ministers have now admitted that it cannot estimate immigration.

Home Office official told MPs on the Public Administration Select Committee (PAC) that data from the programme, which took 10 years and half a billion pounds to build, cannot be used to replace the existing methods of estimating net migration to Britain because it does not collect information about whether passengers are long-term migrants or just visitors or tourists.

What? Did someone forget to ask that question? Hello!!!

The Home Office are saying that it would be illegal under European Union legislation on ‘free movement’ to ask passengers how long they intend to stay or their purpose in entering the UK. Another example of how EU and EEA rules help immigrants. However,since EU/EEA migrants are only allowed to stay in the UK for 90 days without exercising treaty rights, for instance as a self-employed worker, self-sufficient person or student, it would seem logical to ask the question at the border?

The truth of the matter is the Home Office has no idea exactly how many illegal immigrants or visa overstayers are in the UK because there is no system to count them in or out. I recently put this question to Theresa May, the Home Secretary in charge of the Home Office, when I met her. She admitted that there have been problems with border control going back over 15 years, but said the e borders scheme will be operational by 2015.

There have been various estimates that there are between 500,000 and 750,000 overstayers in the UK. The ippr (Institute for Public Policy Research) said it will take 20 years and £5 billion to track them all down and deport them. Let's face it...it's not going to happen, so we need to start looking at workable plans to deal with the situation such as a legalisation programme for overstaying migrants - as long as we don't mention the unmentionable word "amnesty"!

Even when an overstayer is picked up by the Home Office (usually after a tip-off) they can appeal against a removal order on human rights 'article 8' or 'right to a family life' grounds if they own a cat (not really unless you believe the Daily Mail) are in a relationship, or especially if they have children. The same law applies even if you are a convicted murder or rapist - a Jamaican killer was allowed to stay because he said he was gay! Illegal immigrants often spend months in detention centres, at great cost to the government, only to be released on appeal and eventually granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or permanent residency in the UK.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Don't Give Up and Leave The UK, Fight For Your Hum...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Don't Give Up and Leave The UK, Fight For Your Hum...: Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to finish and deadlines to meet before Home Office changes or fee hikes! Following my recen...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to ...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to ...: Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to finish and deadlines to meet before Home Office changes or fee hikes! Following my recen...

Don't Give Up and Leave The UK, Appeal For Your Human Rights!

Cynthia Barker writes...another mad day, cases to finish and deadlines to meet before Home Office changes or fee hikes!

Following my recent story on domestic violence "Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Special Leave to Remain or UK Residence", I have received so many emails and calls from scared people that I wonder if it's just the tip of the iceberg.

When you think that convicted murderers and rapists are allowed to remain in the UK indefinitely just because they are gay or have a child, surely an innocent victim of physical abuse or mental torture should be allowed to stay by the Home Office or an immigration judge - assuming the case goes to an appeal tribunal.

So don't give up and leave the UK just like that...fight for your human rights!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 07850 307687 or 0208 731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is a qualified OISC Registered Immigration Adviser, with 15 years experience in immigration matters, with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Happy St Georges Day For The Patron Saint Of Engla...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Happy St Georges Day For The Patron Saint Of Engla...: Cynthia Barker writes...Today is St George's Day - the day to celebrate all things English, but you would hardly notice it in London. ...

Happy St Georges Day For The Patron Saint Of England Few People Know

Cynthia Barker writes...Today is St George's Day - the day to celebrate all things English, but you would hardly notice it in London.

I found this piece which you might find interesting.

St George's Day is the patron saint day of England yet many people do not even known its date.
A poll by think tank British Future last year found only 40% of people knew that St George's Day was on 23 April, compared to 71% who knew when America's Independence Day was.

Findings also showed more people know when Ireland's St Patrick's Day was, and that two thirds think 17 March is more widely celebrated in Britain than St George's Day.

An English Heritage survey has also found that just 19% of adults in England plan to celebrate St George's Day.

To mark St George's Day, IBTimes UK looks at some little known facts about St George and St George's Day.

George was from Eastern Turkey
St George was born to Christian parents in 270 AD in Cappadocia, which is now Eastern Turkey. He moved to Palestine and became a Roman soldier, but later resigned and protested against his pagen leader, Emperor Diocletian, who led the persecution of Christians in Rome.

His rebellion led him to be imprisoned and tortured, but he did not abandon his faith. He was eventually dragged through the streets and was beheaded on 23 April 303 AD.

George never slayed a dragon
Many stories about Saint George involve him slaying a dragon. However, this is highly unlikely as dragons with 50ft tails do not exist. Instead, the dragon is believed to have represented the devil or evil at the time.
The story about him slaying a dragon took place in Libya. Locals had been sacrificing maidens from the town to appease the dragon, who lived near the fresh water spring. The next sacrifice was due to be the princess Cleolinda, so George fought the dragon, slayed the beast and saved the princess. To show their gratitude, the people of Selene converted to Christianity.

George and England
George became patron saint of England in 1415 AD, over a thousand years after his death. His reputation had been growing among English soldiers over the centuries, with the first recorded reference coming in the seventh century from St Adomnán, the Abbot of Iona in Scotland.

As Crusaders returned to England they brought with them tales of St George and his reputation as a protector of soldiers grew. In 1099, a record from a church in Dorset tells of a "miracle appearance" where St George led the Crusaders into battle. Soldiers began wearing his signature – the red and white cross – on their chest and backs in the 12th century.

St George's Day traditions
It used to be popular for people to mark St George's Day by wearing a red rose in their button hole to show the national flower on their national day. Other former traditions that rarely take place now include Morris Dancing and eating fish and chips.

St George: Saint of all sorts
As well as being the patron saint of England, other countries that celebrate St George's Day include: Canada, Croatia, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Macedonia.

He is he patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry, chivalry, riders, saddlers, farmers and field workers and people with leprosy, the plague and syphilis. George is also the patron saint of Scouting as he "was typical of what a scout should be".

If you need any immigration advice or are worried about the new immigration rules or need help with Sponsorship or Tier 2, Tier 4, applying for university if your college has closed down, Visa, ILR, Settlement, Citizenship, Dependant Visa or an appeal against a UK Border Agency or British Embassy refusal, or if you have been waiting for a reply from the Home Office for longer than a year, please email: immigration@londonccs.com or visit www.conceptcaresolutions.com for free immigration news updates.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: The Abuse of Domestic Workers In The UK

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: The Abuse of Domestic Workers In The UK: Cynthia Barker writes...As most people in the UK get back to work today after a long weekend break for Easter, spare a thought for some migr...

The Abuse of Domestic Workers In The UK

Cynthia Barker writes...As most people in the UK get back to work today after a long weekend break for Easter, spare a thought for some migrants workers who hardly ever get a proper day off - Domestic Workers.

Human Rights Watch has published a report: 'Hidden Away Abuses Against Migrant Domestic Workers In The UK', which highlights the plight of abused workers, many of them from the Philippines, who are brought into the UK on temporary visas by their foreign employers and have no means of escape.

The current government abolished the Blair government's 1998 Domestic Workers Visa concession, which allowed migrants who ran away from abusive employers to switch their visa to another employer and eventually obtain ILR (indefinite leave to remain - UK permanent residency) in Britain.

I have helped many such runaway domestic workers obtain new visas with decent employers and some of them are now British Citizens, yet still work for the same employer. Why? Because the employer is paying them very well, they live-in at some of London's most exclusive addresses and they have more net disposable income more than most people working in the UK.

Many of the victims brought in by overseas employers, usually from the Middle East or India, were either paid the same wage they would have received back home or in some cases nothing at all - despite the fact that some of the employers were billionaires!

Take the case of Liz Hurley's billionaire Indian ex-husband who brought in a worker under the old system and paid her the same salary as in India.

Workers in the UK must be paid at least the minimum wage or preferably a living wage and they have the same rights as British workers.

Unfortunately, under the current temporary visa (tied to the employer) system we have no way of enforcing these regulations or protecting the migrant worker.

Why do people with so much abuse people with so little?

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Pope Francis Prays for Migrants in his Easter Mess...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Pope Francis Prays for Migrants in his Easter Mess...: Cynthia Barker writes...I watched Pope Francis today on television talking about the plight migrants in his Easter message, delivered to tho...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Pope Sends Greetings to Migrants

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Pope Sends Greetings to Migrants: Cynthia Barker writes...I watched Pope Francis today on television talking about the plight migrants in his Easter message, delivered to tho...

Pope Francis Prays for Migrants in his Easter Message

Cynthia Barker writes...I watched Pope Francis today on television talking about the plight migrants in his Easter message, delivered to thousands of people in St Peters Square in the Vatican, Rome. He said:

"Comfort those who have left their own lands to migrate to places offering hope for a better future and the possibility of living their lives in dignity and, not infrequently, of freely professing their faith."

The 77 year old Argentinian Pope also called attention to people suffering from hunger, war, violence, and disease around the world, asking for peace and reconciliation in different areas of conflict.

Addressing an estimated 150,000 pilgrims the Pope prayed for the people of Syria, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Nigeria, South Sudan, Venezuela, and Ukraine.

This year the liturgical calender unusually coincides with the Orthodox churches of Greece and Eastern European countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia.

A very Happy Easter to you all, especially those migrants who are separated from their loved ones.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Happy Easter from Multi Cultural Britain

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Happy Easter from Multi Cultural Britain: Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from London! Last working day of the week for most offices in the UK. Tomorrow is Good Friday, one of...

Happy Easter from Multi Cultural Britain

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning from London!

Last working day of the week for most offices in the UK. Tomorrow is Good Friday, one of the most holy days in the Christian calender, and the start of the Easter weekend. Monday is also a public holiday in Britain so no work until Tuesday...yippee!

Did you know that the word holiday derives from Old English word hāligdæg - hālig (Holy) dæg (day) - or 'holy' day? Most of the public holidays in the UK and Europe are based on ancient religious celebrations, such as Christmas.

Migrants from Eastern European countries, like Romania, observe Easter in their own Orthodox Christian calender, and this is also the time of the 'Passover' celebrated in the Jewish faith.

Britain is now a multi-cultural country and there are many other non-Christian religious festivals held throughout the year, for instance: Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Sikh), Eid (Muslim), Nirvana (Buddhist), Swaminarayan Jayanti (Hindu), Vaisakhi (Sikh) to name but a few.

Millions of Britons also enjoy the festivities on Chinese New Year, St Patrick's Day and, of course, St Valentines Day!

The Migrants Rights Network in Britain are trying to build support ' International Migrants Day', normally observed on 18 December.

On the streets of big cities in the UK you will see Churches alongside Mosques, Synagogues and Hindu Temples.

Britain has on the whole been an extremely tolerant place for immigrants, who have been coming to the UK for hundreds of years. As I said in the book "How 2 Come to the UK to Live, Work, Study or Visit", most immigrants came here with 'nothing to declare' except their brains, talent and a burning ambition to succeed.

And do they succeed! You bet they do! Migrants and their descendants make up a disproportionate percentage of millionaires and even billionaires in the UK (when you take into account their percentage of the overall population).

The children of first generation migrant families do better on average than locally born students, despite the fact that English is not their first language.

Migrants not only bring their skills and labour to the UK, they also have the energy and drive to go the extra mile. This 'energy' also helped build America, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia, where millions of British immigrants helped play their part too. I salute them all!

Wherever you are, and whatever your beliefs, I wish you a very happy Easter, Passover or just a good weekend ahead!

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK Government Urged To Encourage More Internationa...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK Government Urged To Encourage More Internationa...: Cynthia Barker writes...phew, busy day here in London! Lot's to report on UK immigration and jobs. This week the Government are being ...

UK Government Urged To Encourage More International Students

Cynthia Barker writes...phew, busy day here in London! Lot's to report on UK immigration and jobs.

This week the Government are being urged by a House of Lords committee to do more to encourage non-EU international Tier 4 students to study in the UK. In recent years, overseas students have been put off studying in the UK by tough Home Office rules and the fact that Tier 4 students, who are temporary migrants, are being included in Government targets to slash net migration.

Surprise surprise, the Home Office clamp down on overseas students is having a negative effect on numbers studying in Britain, much to the delight of universities and colleges in the US, Australia and Canada.

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee said that Science and Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) students coming to the UK to study has fallen by a staggering 10%.

Meanwhile, London's economy is booming and employment prospects growing. The capital has always been a magnet for immigrants because there are always job vacancies, especially in the care and catering sectors.

Wages are also rising as the UK economy gets into gear after a long period of slow growth.

Industries such as care are not so vulnerable to the up's and down's of the economy or boring stock market figures! The sector, which includes hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care providers, always need staff and care managers, as they have a never ending supply of clients.

Jobs are being taken by EU or EEA nationals from countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia, but the demand for nurses with NMC PINs and experienced care support workers still outstrips supply.

Strict Home Office work permit rules under Tier 2 of the Points Based System should be relaxed to allow employers to recruit care workers from outside the EU. Otherwise, we will see an even greater staffing crisis in the NHS and private care sector which will put patients at risk.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK is a Land of Opportunity for Jobs and Free Cour...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK is a Land of Opportunity for Jobs and Free Cour...: Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning on another gorgeous sunny day in London! I have to mention the weather as we don't get too much sun...

UK is a Land of Opportunity for Jobs and Free Courses

Cynthia Barker writes...Good morning on another gorgeous sunny day in London! I have to mention the weather as we don't get too much sun here, which is why the British people are always complaining about it.

Apart from the weather, there shouldn't be too much to complain about if you live in a 'land of opportunity' like the UK, should there?

In theory, no, yet the fact is so many British born people spend half their lives moaning about Britain and complaining about the lack of opportunity!

Yes, it's true, some Brits cannot see all the opportunities they have to progress and are not even grateful for being fortunate enough to have been born in one of the greatest countries on earth. Shame on you.

Try telling that to the guy who hangs on to the axle of a lorry just to set foot on British soil, or the family which spends thousands of pounds applying for permanent residency (ILR) or British citizenship - just to remain in the UK indefinitely.

There are millions of jobs in the UK and, if you lack work based skills, thousands of free vocational courses and inexpensive online courses.

London Cactus College has just announced another load of free Health and Social Care courses where employers and employees can take anything from a 1 day Dementia Awareness course to an NVQ/QCF at level 2, 3 or 5, right up to a Level 7 Diploma - which gives you 67 credits towards a full Bachelors Degree or Masters!

Health and Social Care is one of those industries that will never go 'out of fashion', and hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care providers will always need people - not machines - to look after sick, elderly and mentally ill clients.

There is now a huge shortage of carers and nurses in the UK and it's only a matter of time before international mass recruitment will have to take place in countries like the Philippines - where there is a surplus of nurses and care givers.

Come on all you people looking for jobs or a new secure career, what are you waiting for?

Some EU funded, courses are are also open to EU or EEA nationals from countries such as Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. Newest EU members, Croatians are restricted from working in the UK, but can work and study on a yellow card permit. After one year they can apply for permanent residence or blue card.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com.  Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Migration Routes to UK

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Migration Routes to UK: Cynthia Barker writes...good morning all from sunny UK. Following yesterday's fantastic London Marathon a leading world ranked female at...

Migration Routes to UK

Cynthia Barker writes...good morning all from sunny UK. Following yesterday's fantastic London Marathon a leading world ranked female athlete is 'on the run' (excuse the pun) after disappearing hours before her scheduled flight back to Sierra Leone.

Mami Konneh Lahun, 24, last seen after finishing the 26.2 mile race in 20th place, was due to return home today, but failed to show up for her flight home.

The London Metropolitan Police put out an appeal when the runner failed to return to her temporary accommodation  in Greenwich yesterday.

Although athletes are normally allowed into Britain to compete on a temporary visa, this would not be the first time that a competitor from a third world country has refused to return home and subsequently lodged claim for asylum in the UK.

Whatever the grounds for a asylum, the days when it would be relatively easy to arrive in the UK on a visitor visa, claim asylum and then stay here for years until the Home Office got around to looking at their case, and if refused (as most are) lodge a series of appeals funded by legal aid, are long gone.

The Home Office now 'fast track' claims within months, however, thousands of people have been granted a type of amnesty under the 'legacy' (or lost) cases, some of which had been hanging around for 10 years or more.

The 14 year 'long stay concession' no longer exists, which means an illegal immigrant or visa overstayer must wait 20 years before applying indefinite leave to remain (UK residency).

Migrants who manage to remain in the UK legally for 10 years, for instance on a student visa, can still apply for residency.

If you are considering coming to the UK, you can still look at Tier 2 work permit routes, Tier 1 highly skilled and entrepreneur visa or under a Tier 4 student visa.

Those with relatives who are UK residents or EEA nationals may have other options under family migration routes.

With a wide range of migration routes to the UK, it seems strange that many migrants still seek 'back doors' methods or pay thousands of pounds to traffickers to transport them halfway across the world on the back of a lorry.

If you need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details to immigration@londonccs.com.  Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK has jobs jobs jobs but not enough skilled worke...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: UK has jobs jobs jobs but not enough skilled worke...: Cynthia Barker writes...good morning, or afternoon, evening depending on where you are reading 'Diary of an Immigration Adviser' fro...

UK has jobs jobs jobs but not enough skilled workers to fill vancancies

Cynthia Barker writes...good morning, or afternoon, evening depending on where you are reading 'Diary of an Immigration Adviser' from! Thank God it's Friday! Looking forward to the weekend and recharging my batteries - I WILL get to the gym!

Yesterday I wrote about how victims of domestic violence can apply for special leave to remain. Today I want to talk about a slightly happier subject - the economy and UK jobs.

The British economy is well on the way to recovery, especially in London and the South East of England where house prices are literally going through the roof. All these Chinese and Russians investors buying multi-million pound pads in Kensington and Chelsea. Tier 1 Investor Visas are proving very popular by the way - if you have a bit of cash a fancy starting a business here.

When the property market is on the move, jobs tend to follow, and there are plenty of job vacancies in the UK. The London Chamber of Commerce this week announced that businesses in the capital are short of skilled, qualified staff needed to keep the economy growing.

The Home Office are introducing a special highly skilled Tier 1 visa category for IT workers, the first expansion in managed migration to the UK, albeit limited to a few hundred visas a year, for many years.

NHS Trusts, as well as private Care providers, are also so short of nurses and carers that they are spending millions of pounds each year on highly paid temporary agency staff. I predict that we will see a return to nurse recruitment from my native Philippines in 2104/15, which is great because they have a surplus of trained nurses and we have a shortage of RGN's in the UK.

Back to UK jobs. Despite high unemployment, in London at least there have always been jobs available to those who want to work.

There are probably close to a million job vacancies in the UK right now, yet there are twice that number of people registered as unemployed! So how can there be all these vacancies when there are enough unemployed workers to fill them?

The answer is not simple. There are some people on benefits who either don't want to work, because they are happy to live cheap and get their rent paid by the rest of us taxpayers. There are others who cannot take a low paid job because they will be worse off working than on welfare benefits - the benefits trap.

However, the real reason there is an imbalance of job vacancies to "available" labour is that large numbers of the people on welfare are not sufficiently qualified to do the jobs which need doing!

There are not many unemployed nurses and doctors, or skilled IT workers or Carers. Nurses can earn up to £50 per HOUR for a weekend shift and care support workers can find a job anywhere in the country.

The reason employers have to look overseas to recruit the highly qualified staff is they cannot find enough of them here in the UK.

Employers are actively recruiting right now in EU countries, such as Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and new member Croatia. The non-EU market will I feel open up soon as nursing and care shifts go unfilled and patients are put at risk.

Anyway, I should get back to work myself! I have a visa refusal client coming in soon to see our appeal specialist. Wish me luck!

If you are the victim of abuse or domestic violence, or need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Sp...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Sp...: Cynthia Barker writes...good morning. What a beautiful day it is here in sunny London! Working from home today, as I have a Rotary meeting a...

Migrant Domestic Violence Victims Can Apply for Special Leave to Remain or UK Residency

Cynthia Barker writes...good morning. What a beautiful day it is here in sunny London! Working from home today, as I have a Rotary meeting and I'm also drafting a very important case (sometimes you need a bit of peace away from the office to think). My client, a pretty young Filipina married to an older British man, was a victim of domestic violence. Now, before you jump to conclusions, the domestic "violence" was not physical, but mental torture. Yes, mental torture is a form of domestic violence.

When she came to see me last year she was going through hell and after probing a little further the tears began to flood as she revealed that she had been in an abusive relationship for years.

Her manipulative husband, who was staying in the Philippines at the time, was refusing to sign her papers for ILR (indefinite leave to remain or permanent residency in the UK) and basically abusing his power over her, which I felt was mental torture.

She was here in the UK with her Son and when she came to me her visa was about to expire, yet he was delaying supporting her application for residency and even told her that she should return to the Philippines and apply from there - an application which would have almost certainly failed leaving her trapped, without means of supporting her British Son.

He had also threatened to take her child away from her, which he could have done had she been stuck in the Philippines while he skipped back here with the boy.

This bully knew exactly what he was doing to her, but I was so determined that I wasn't going to let him get away with it!

We literally spent days on the case. We took a lot of time to gather all the evidence and put in a special application for ILR on the basis that her British husband was paying games and torturing her. Fortunately, the Home Office agreed and, thank God, they issued her indefinite leave to remain in the UK in just 15 days!

Last week she came back to me to process her application for naturalisation and British Citizenship, which will secure her long term residency in the UK. She looks a different person, happy and confident again.

I just want to say to all migrant spouses or partners (men or women) who may be victims of domestic violence, torture or an abusive relationship, however bad your situation may seem, talk to someone, take advice and see a qualified immigration adviser. Even if you have overstayed or broken the UK Immigration Rules, you should never give up hope of justice.

If you are the victim of abuse or domestic violence, or need advice on any immigration matter, EU or UK immigration law, or want to appeal against a refusal, call Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Unlike Other UK Migrants Football Managers Don't H...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Unlike Other UK Migrants Football Managers Don't H...: Cynthia Barker writes....good morning, just got back to the office from a breakfast networking meeting at the Laura Ashley Hotel in Elstree ...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Unlike Other Migrants Football Managers Don't Have...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Unlike Other Migrants Football Managers Don't Have...: Good morning! It's a very good morning for Chelsea fans who last night saw their football club reach the semi finals of the Champions le...

Unlike Other UK Migrants Football Managers Don't Have to Speak English

Cynthia Barker writes....good morning, just got back to the office from a breakfast networking meeting at the Laura Ashley Hotel in Elstree (not far from where Simon Cowell was brought up). Well, it's a very good morning for Chelsea fans who last night saw their football club reach the semi finals of the Champions league with a last minute goal against French side PSG.

Looking at Chelsea Football Club, made up largely of foreign players and their "special" manager, Portuguese born Jose Mourinho, it made wonder why so many clubs favour overseas players and managers over British born candidates.

There is no doubt that the British Premier League has benefited from the influx of talented - not to mention, fit - players and coaches, although some argue that the national England team (previous managed by two foreign managers) has suffered as a result of lack of English talent coming through the ranks.

But why are so many English clubs managed by overseas managers, when we have excellent British people to do the job? Is it because many clubs are now owned by billionaire foreign owners who simply pay the highest price to buy in overseas staff?

Ok, I'm no football expert, but you only have to watch post match interviews - zzzzzz- on BBC's 'Match of the Day' to see that hardly any clubs employ British managers anymore.

Arsenal, Fulham, Manchester City and Chelsea have not had an English manager for years. And Tottenham are rumored to be looking to replace Borehamwood born Tim Sherwood (who took over from their last foreign manager sacked a couple of months ago) with a Brazilian coach.

Some managers, such as Southampton's Argentinian born Mauricio Pochettino, can barely speak English and are interviewed with the aid of an interpreter!

The point I am making is you need an English language test to enter the UK as a foreign spouse, or on a student visa (even if you are coming here to learn English) or on work permit, or when you are applying for residency (indefinite leave to remain), but football clubs appear to be exempt from the Immigration Rules!

I should also point out that EU and EEA citizens have free movement within the European Union (apart from Croatia) and that English language ability does not apply.

Meanwhile, the NHS and care industry are facing acute staff shortages, with nursing agencies, such as Dolphin Care, unable to cope with demand for nurses and HCA's (Health Care Assistants).

The good news is NHS Trusts are once again starting to recruit qualified nurses from both the EU and countries such as the Philippines - so watch this space.

The fact is, the UK and especially London, could not run without overseas workers. Not just footballers on £200,000 a week, but nurses, doctors, IT workers and cleaners. My God, even Prime Minister David Cameron employs a foreign Nanny! So much for British jobs for British workers!  Ha ha! Get real politicians!

For advice on EU or UK immigration law, phone Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number – Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Diary of an Immigration Adviser opening blog

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Diary of an Immigration Adviser opening blog: Cynthia Barker writes...OMG, it’s Monday morning and I'm inundated with phone calls and emails from confused clients as to when to appl...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Deportations, overstaying students and the mystery...

Diary of an Immigration Adviser: Deportations, overstaying students and the mystery...: Cynthia Barker writes...So sad to read about Peaches Geldof today, another tragedy for Sir Bob. My condolences and prayers go out to Peaches...

Deportations, overstaying students and the mystery of the Home Office website

Cynthia Barker writes...So sad to read about the death of Peaches Geldof yesterday, another tragedy for Sir Bob. My condolences and prayers go out to Peaches and her young family.

Last week, Mauritian student, Yashika Bageerathi, was deported  from the UK by the Home Office despite widespread protests and the fact she was about to take her A Level exams. So sad for her family who live here, however, she came here on a visitor visa and her subsequent asylum claim had been rejected.

What I don;t understand is why her parents brought her in on a tourist visa, when she was under 18, when she could have come in as a dependent or even on a student visa to study in the UK. Had she had proper immigration advice, she would have entered the UK under the correct visa and would most likely still be here.

Although in this case, the decision to remove the gifted student was technically correct, the fact is, the British government seems to put so much effort into deporting foreign students who are paying billions in course fees to study in the UK, not to mention taxes when they work in the UK.

Wow, busy day ahead! Full diary...another consultation for my team with n overstayer student who, thank God, happens to have an EEA partner.

So many overseas students have been branded as overstayers due to the fact that their student visas had expired during the time their applications for further leave to remain were being processed and later refused - in some cases after almost a year!

Talking about the Home Office, what have they done to the immigration website? Finding forms and guidance is now a nightmare!

For advice on EU or UK immigration law, phone Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number – Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with a team of Level 3 Immigration Law Practitioners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.


Monday, April 7, 2014

Diary of an Immigration Adviser opening blog

Cynthia Barker writes...OMG, it’s Monday morning and I'm inundated with phone calls and emails from confused clients as to when to apply European law or UK Immigration Law!

In some immigration cases it can be advantageous to apply EEA or EU regulations, even if the person is settling in the UK - for instance when a non-EU migrant is the partner, child, spouse of an EEA citizen.
My advice is always, book an appointment with my team of specialists so you get the right advise applicable to your situation.

Individual clients have individual circumstances and we will will take the time to go through your specific case in detail, and in confidence.
For something so important, and in most cases involving your family's future “Don’t risk it, take professional advice.”

For advice on EU or UK immigration law, phone Cynthia Barker on 020 8731 5972 or email her your details and number – Immigration@londonccs.com. Cynthia Barker is an OISC registered Immigration Adviser with Level 3 Immigration Law Practitionners, Concept Care Solutions, Middlesex House, 29-45 High Street, Edgware, HA8 7UU.